Frederick Alimonti

Rick Alimonti is a Mediator, Arbitrator, and Litigator. He has been an active member of the Mediation Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York since 2011. He was an inaugural member of the Mediation Advisory Committee for the Southern District, which helped set policy for the mediation program of SDNY.

He launched Alimonti Mediation Services in 2016. His mediation practice emphasizes personal injury, MVA, employment discrimination, aviation claims, and insurance coverage. Rick is honored to have been appointed as the Chair for the ABA (American Bar Association) TIPS Dispute Resolution Committee for the 2023-24 term, and he remains involved in this Committee as it’s “Scope Liaison” to the TIPS Section 2024-25. He is also a past co-chair of multiple Committees in the ABA’s Litigation Section. Rick is a proud 2024 inductee into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.

Rick is a frequent lecturer and has published numerous articles, including, "Mediating The Product Liability Case 101: A Mediator’s Perspective" (ABA TortSource April 2026), "Aviation Litigation: The View from 30,000 Feet" (ABA TortSource 2026),“Mediating the Employment Case 101 (Tort Source, ABA TIPS 2025)”; “Some Lessons on What Not to Do in Observing the Mets/Alonso Negotiations” (ABA TIPS 2025); “The Road to Becoming a Mediator - Along with the Speed Bumps: (ABA TIPS 2024) "How Being a Mediator Has Changed How I Advocate in Mediation . . . [And Visa-Versa]" (ABA TIPS 2023). 

His presentations on mediation advocacy, mediation ethics, and legal writing have been enthusiastically received by the Lawline subscribers, The American Bar Association, other bar organizations, and the American Board of Trial Advocates, to name a few.  His ongoing video, Mediation Advocacy Tips: “From the Center Seat,” can be viewed on our YouTube Channel

Rick takes an intensive, low volume/highly focused approach to his mediations. He reviews submissions well before the mediation, engages in extensive pre-mediation caucuses, and continues to confer beyond the mediation when appropriate. He believes that Mediator evaluation is an important part of the process. “Don’t hire a Mediator and settle for a calculator,” is one his many “Rickisms.” This approach has been well-received and is often cited by mediation clients as their main reason for continuing to bring their disputes to Rick, and what distinguishes him from others.

Among his noteworthy mediations is the $20 Million settlement of Krivak v. Putnam County, New York.   Mr. Alimonti also served as Mediator in the first resolved claim relating to the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision involving American Airlines/PSA Flight 5342 at DCA Airport. This claim was brought on behalf of deceased Flight Attendant Ian Epstein and settled with Rick in pre-litigation mediation in April 2026.

• St. John's University School of Law Jamaica, New York J.D., June 1989
• Fordham University Bronx, New York B.A., May 1985
• SDNY, Mediation Training, 2011

• ABA Tips Section’s Dispute Resolution Committee Past-Chair and current Scope Liaison, 2024 to date
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals - 2024 Inductee
• New York State Bar Association - Member, Dispute Resolution Committee
• Mediation Panel, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Since 2011)
• Miracle League of Westchester, Trustee and Coach – Teaching and coaching baseball to children and adults with learning and other disabilities 2021 to 2024
• Hope Rising Farm, Inc. President of Board of Trustees, an Equine Therapy Facility in Dutchess County 2019 to 2020
• Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New Jersey, Trustee, Past President, Development Director

“Flat Fee” Schedule

We consider our Mediation Clients as our settlement Partners, not as transients through a revolving door of serial mediations.  We charge an agreed flat rate for the services below, always clear a full day for your mediation, and work before, during and, if needed, after, the mediation, to help the parties craft a settlement and attain closure.  We are reluctant to declare an impasse and walk away; preferring to take breather, work the phones, and reconvene as needed - perhaps after some informal information exchanges or supplemental submissions.  Although adverse, both parties have come to us with a common goal; settlement, and we want them to attain this goal.

The extent of engagement pre- and post-mediation is perhaps our greatest differentiating factor, and is frequently cited as in our reviews and post-mediation surveys.

Included Services:

• Shared and ex parte submissions received and reviewed two-weeks before scheduled mediation (simultaneous exchange as per guidelines)
• Pre-mediation teleconferences to begin with counsel promptly after receipt of submissions and continue as long as productive.
• Mediation blocked for six hours, but up to one hour of “overflow” is included at no additional charge.
• If remote, ALOADR will initiate Zoom Mediation.  We can also attend and host hybrid live/Zoom mediations.
• If the case does not settle at the mediation, reasonable continued phone contact and resolution efforts are included.
• Local travel expenses included if held off-site.
• Additional mediation-session time billed at $550/hr. [and split amongst parties]
• Meals provided if held at ALOADR Office

Our Flat Fee schedule starts at $7,000 for a basic two-party case ($3,500/side), with more complex cases being billed at an agreeable rate.  Additional parties may also justify an increase in the charge.  "No surprises" and building long-term relationships are critical to our approach to billing.  We seldom charge beyond our flat rate, even after excessive post-mediation follow-up's.  And our client will attest to this.  We only go "on the clock" with advance informed consent.  We are diligent, if not outright relentless, in our pursuit of settlement within the original flat charge.

Refund Policy:

• We will consider any requested refund if you are not 100% satisfied with our services.
• We never add administrative, Case Management, or similar nonrefundable fees to your invoice.
• In general, our fee is also fully refundable until receipt of submissions.
• One half of our fee is refundable after submissions, if mediation is cancelled on at least 48-hour notice.*

________________________________________

*  We value our relationship with you and want to preserve it.  Accordingly, we are not rigid on cancellations fees. If the mediation is rescheduled, we will generally proceed on the new date, with no additional charge.  We will find a productive use for the previously-allocated time.