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 300 arbitration awards, has been selected as arbitrator in more than 650 arbitrations, and has built her practice encouraging  efficient and prompt case management and resolution to fit the parties' goals.  Melinda also mediates commercial and employment disputes.  

Arbitration

Melinda has arbitral experience across a wide range of industries and has experience applying the rules of the AAA, ICDR, ICC, CPR, FINRA, and other 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 including MAOs and CMS-related claims, 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 the regional 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 has served repeatedly as an arbitrator and mediator for the following national and international ADR 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 Law Association
• JAMS (upon party appointment)
• ICC Court of Arbitration  
• National Arbitration and Mediation

Melinda also has worked with regional arbitral institutions in the US and provides arbitration and mediation services through private retention.  She often has served as a neutral party-appointed arbitrator in cases involving party-appointed arbitrators selecting and working with an institutionally-appointed Chair.     

Mediation

Melinda primarily mediates business and employment disputes because of her background as a corporate General Counsel and her past selection to serve as an outside mediator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Melinda now  serves on private mediation retentions as well as having served for years as a mediator to the following ADR institutions:

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