Atlanta/Washington D.C. (March 20, 2023) - Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP announced today the launch of a dedicated alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practice focused on resolving disputes relating to highly- specialized practice areas such as intellectual property, technology and software licensing, construction, real estate finance, housing, employment, and M&A matters.
The members of the ADR practice – including litigation partners Larry Kunin, Eric Larson, Bonnie Hochman Rothell, and Stephen Vaughn, intellectual property partner Daniel Huynh, and managing partner Simon Malko – have decades of litigation and risk mitigation experience, and most are registered neutrals. MMM attorneys bring rich subject-matter specialization to ADR in the areas of commercial real estate, technology, commercial contracts, and tort disputes.
“While there is no shortage of arbitrators and mediators, Morris, Manning & Martin is one of the few firms to establish a formal ADR practice with subject-matter focus,” said Kunin, who will serve as practice chair.
Kunin also is the chair of the firm’s technology and intellectual property litigation practice and has extensive experience litigating patent, trademark, and trade secret cases in federal and state courts around the country. He has served as special master or court-appointed neutral in disputes involving business law issues and commercial disputes relating to technology and software licensing agreements and implementation.
Rothell, who leads the DC litigation practice and co-chairs the ADR practice, also brings unique qualifications to the team. In addition to being a certified mediator, she serves on court-appointed mediation panels and mediates cases for the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Rather than ADR generalists, MMM’s neutrals bring hands-on experience with the subject matter of a dispute. Having arbitrators with subject-matter expertise is a significant advantage for clients,” Kunin noted. “We also are able to leverage our deep experience representing businesses of all sizes and industries in complex litigation to the ADR space.”
In launching a dedicated ADR practice, the firm will expand its litigation and dispute resolution offering to help clients resolve disputes without the need for further litigation, saving businesses time and money. Using creative and proven conflict-resolution techniques, the practice will help with mediation, binding and non-binding arbitration, neutral case evaluation, conciliation, and negotiation.
“Our attorneys and I are regularly approached for mediation or unofficial arbitration expertise and by expanding our offering in dispute resolution, we help address a clear need in the market,” said managing partner Simon Malko. “Since law firms can’t arbitrate for their own clients, we see a tremendous cross-selling opportunity to partner with others within the legal field. In addition to attracting new clients, the goal is for the firm to become a go-to partner for ADR.”
