Theo Cheng

Theo Cheng is an independent, full-time arbitrator and mediator, focusing on commercial, intellectual property, technology, entertainment, and employment disputes, including breach of contract and negligence actions, trade secret theft, employment discrimination claims, wage-and-hour disputes, and IP infringement contentions. Mr. Cheng has been appointed to the rosters of the American Arbitration Association, the CPR Institute, Resolute Systems, the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s List of Arbitrators and Mediators, and the Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center’s List of the World’s Leading Technology Neutrals. He is also a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators and a AAA Master Mediator Panel. Mr. Cheng is an Adjunct Professor at New York Law School and a Practitioner in Residence at the Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy (C-IP²) at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School. Mr. Cheng serves on the AAA’s Council, and he is also the President of the Justice Marie L. Garibaldi American Inn of Court for ADR and a Past Chair of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Dispute Resolution Section. Mr. Cheng is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators. He received the 2020 James B. Boskey ADR Practitioner of the Year Award from the New Jersey State Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section, and the National Law Journal named him a 2017 ADR Champion. He was also voted in the Top 3 of the 2022 Best Individual Arbitrators by the readers of the New York Law Journal and the 2021 Best Mediator/Arbitrator by the readers of the New Jersey Law Journal.

Mr. Cheng has nearly 25 years of experience as an IP and general commercial litigator with a focus on trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets. He has handled a broad array of business disputes and counseled high net-worth individuals and small to middle-market business entities in industries as varied as high-tech, telecommunications, entertainment, consumer products, fashion, food and hospitality, retail, and financial services. In 2007, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association named him one of the Best Lawyers Under 40.

Mr. Cheng received his A.B. cum laude in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the Moot Court Board. He was a senior litigator at several prominent national law firms, including Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Proskauer Rose LLP, and Loeb & Loeb LLP. He was also a marketing consultant in the brokerage operations of MetLife Insurance Company, where he held Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations and a Series 7 General Securities Representative registration. Mr. Cheng began his legal career serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Julio M. Fuentes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Honorable Ronald L. Buckwalter of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Cheng frequently writes and speaks on a wide variety of ADR issues. He writes a regular column called Resolution Alley in the NYSBA Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal, which addresses the use of ADR in those industries.

More information is available at Theo's website, and he can be contacted directly at theo@theocheng.com.

• A.B. cum laude in Chemistry and Physics, Harvard University 
• J.D., New York University School of Law

• American Bar Association
• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Asian American Bar Association of New York
• Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey
• College of Commercial Arbitrators
• The Copyright Society of the U.S.A.
• Justice Marie L. Garibaldi American Inn of Court for ADR
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association
• Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center

Hearing/Session: $900.00/Hr
Study/Preparation: $900.00/Hr
Travel: See below
Cancellation Fees: See below

Travel time will be charged at half the above hourly rate.

Reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred relating to travel, lodging, and meals will be billed. For remote proceedings, there are no additional charges if I roll out the Zoom video teleconferencing platform and serve as the host.

Unless another matter can be scheduled in its place, a per diem of eight (8) hours will also be charged for any scheduled hearing/session date (including any reserve dates) if the cancellation occurs within thirty (30) days (for a hearing), or within fourteen (14) days (for a mediation session), before the scheduled date. Any non-refundable travel and lodging expenses incurred in response to a cancellation will also be charged.

Additionally, Resolute Systems handles the administration of all of privately arranged matters for a flat fee of $275 per side.