Expertise

Melinda Jayson focuses on analyzing the law and facts to resolve disputes effectively, efficiently, and practically.  She is an experienced chair of panels whose opinions thoroughly address the parties’ contentions.  Melinda has authored more than 250 arbitration awards, has been selected as arbitrator in more than 500 arbitrations, and has built her practice on efficient and prompt case management and resolution.  Melinda also serves as a mediator. 

Arbitration

Melinda has arbitral experience across a wide range of industries and has experience applying the rules of differing arbitral institutions.  She has substantial experience authoring awards in all types of commercial disputes, including:

• corporate, LLC, and partnership relationships and rights, management disputes
• artificial intelligence, machine learning, and source code development
• financial services and commercial lending 
• real estate development, sales, and construction projects 
• liability of accountants, lawyers, and other professionals including financial advisors 
• health care, including business transactions, pharmaceutical development and PBM contracts,  property rights in pharmaceuticals, disputes involving providers and payors, insurance matters 
• industrial product failures and warehousing 
• intra-family disputes over business management, operations, and asset division
• franchisor/franchisee disputes
• disputes involving international and cross-border commercial ventures

Melinda began her career as an arbitrator when she was approached by a vice-president of a major alternative dispute resolution services institution to join its panel of arbitrators, after she had represented clients in a number of arbitrations administered by that institution.  She currently serves as an arbitrator for the following national and international arbitral institutions:

• American Arbitration Association/International Centre for Dispute Resolution: Commercial, Large Complex, International, M&A, Joint Venture, Health Care, Employment, Construction, Seafaring, Domestic and International Mediation
• CPR Institute: Banking, Accounting, and Financial Services; Dallas ADR; Employment Disputes; Franchise; Health Care; Real Estate
• American Health Lawyers Association
• JAMS (upon party appointment)
• ICC Court of Arbitration  
• London Court of International Arbitration  
• National Arbitration and Mediation

Melinda also works with regional arbitral services institutions and provides arbitration services through private retention. 

Mediation

Melinda mediates all types of business disputes.  Because of her background as a corporate General Counsel and selection to serve as an outside mediator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she often is asked to mediate employment disputes.  Melinda currently mediates on private retention and through the following ADR services institutions:

• American Arbitration Association /International Centre for Dispute Resolution
• CPR Institute
• American Health Lawyers Association
• Absolute Arbitration Services, LLC