James A. Smith, Jr.

I have been a frequent lecturer in CLE programs involving mediation, arbitration, and other forms of ADR. I have been involved in presenting CLE programs to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, ABA Dispute Resolution Section, Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association, Washington State Attorney General's office, the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington, the Northwest ADR Conference, and other professional organizations. I have taken numerous American Arbitration Association training courses in a variety of substantive areas. I am a member of the American Arbitration Association Large Complex Case Panel.

            I have been involved as an arbitrator on numerous occasions, including American Arbitration Association, as well as private matters. A significant amount of my practice involves acting as a mediator under the CR 39.1 ADR program in cases pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, as well as providing mediation and arbitration services in cases pending in the Washington State Court system and other forums. I successfully have served as an arbitrator or neutral in breach of contract, antitrust, construction, securities, shareholder disputes, partnership, professional dissolutions, employment, insurance, intellectual property, tort and personal injury, professional negligence, estate and family disputes and a number of other substantive areas. I have been appointed as the mediator by courts on multiple occasions, including multi-district litigation. I have successfully mediated many complex multi-party disputes and I have mediated cases of all sizes, including many multi-million-dollar disputes. 

• B.A., University of Notre Dame (1970);
• J.D., Cornell University (1973).

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers;
• Fellow, American Board of Trial Advocates;
• Member, International Society of Barristers;
• Lawyer Representative for the Western District of Washington to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (1995-98);
• Co-chair and Chair, Federal Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (1995-2001);
• Panel of Arbitrators, American Arbitration Association (1986);
• Panel of Mediators, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington CR 39.1 Program (1981);
• Chairperson, Federal Bar Association ADR Task Force (1995);
• Vice President, Federal Bar Association (2001-02);
• President, Federal Bar Association (2002);
• Member and Chairperson, Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee, United States District Court Western District of Washington (1999);
• Member, Washington State Bar Association (Trustee Trial Practice Section (1983-86), Member, ADR Section);
• Member, King County Bar Association (ADR Section);
• Member, ADR Roundtable.

Mediation: $550 per hour divided between the parties for mediations with two parties. $200 per hour per party for mediations with three or more parties. Arbitration: $550 per hour, $5,500/day for arbitration hearings. Cancellation fee: one-half of reserved arbitration hearing time if settled within 15 calendar days of hearing date.