Mediating Corporate Disputes Successfully – Avoidance Of Litigation’s Perils

Irving B. Levinson, a partner with K&L Gates LLP, concentrates his practice in complex business and corporate litigation and ADR, including lawsuits and arbitrations arising out of acquisitions, securities litigation, real estate, corporate and intellectual property litigation and products liability and construction lawsuits. With over 38 years of litigation experience, he has tried numerous cases in federal and state courts throughout the United States and consulted on cases in Australia, Canada, China, Germany and Japan. Mr. Levinson is a court-certified mediator for the Circuit Court of Cook County Court-annexed Major Case Civil Mediation Program. Mr. Levinson is a frequent speaker and author on litigation strategy, mediation and commercial arbitration. He was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern University Law Center, where he taught Trial Advocacy.

Craig C. Martin is a partner in Jenner & Block’s Chicago office and is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Litigation Department. He is a member of the Complex Commercial Litigation and ERISA Litigation Practices. He is also a member of the Firm’s Policy Committee. Mr. Martin is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability.

Mr. Martin practices in complex civil and commercial litigation involving a wide variety of substantive areas of the law, including attorney discipline and malpractice, civil and criminal antitrust, civil racketeering, civil rights, commercial law, contracts, employment, environmental, ERISA, estates and trusts, financial institution fraud, government contracts, intellectual property, insurance coverage, product liability, shareholder class action and derivative actions, tort and mass tort.

Mr. Martin represents Fortune 500 companies and wealthy families in complex commercial litigation across the country in both state and federal courts. He has been lead trial counsel in matters involving civil rights, employment, breach of fiduciary duty, intellectual property, whistle-blower, tort and breach of contract. In addition to an active trial practice, Mr. Martin has represented clients in proceedings involving temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions in matters involving employment, real estate and intellectual property. He has represented clients in mediations and arbitrations principally in the areas of corporate joint ventures and other cooperative arrangements as well as disputes arising subsequent to corporate deals. Mr. Martin represents and has represented indigent clients pro bono in civil matters involving securities fraud, civil rights and political asylum, and in a number of criminal matters including murder cases in which the state has sought the death penalty. He has represented clients in appellate matters in most of the federal circuit courts of appeals.

Tom is a member of the Financial Industry Group, practicing in the area of Financial Services Litigation. Tom has more than 25 yearsʹ experience defending business clients in complex litigation, including consumer finance, antitrust, securities, intellectual property, business fraud and other commercial cases. Tom has been lead defense counsel in numerous jury trials. He has spearheaded the defense of more than 75 class actions in courts throughout the United States and is familiar with all aspects of class action practice. Tom also has extensive experience in coordinating the defense of multiple cases pending simultaneously in different courts, and the defense of parallel civil and criminal matters.

Tom has been with Reed Smith during his entire career in private practice, and he was elected a partner in 1988. Tom has held a number of leadership positions at the firm. When Reed Smith combined with California‐based Crosby Heafey in January 2003, Tom relocated to Los Angeles for 18 months to assist in the integration of the firms while maintaining his national litigation practice.