Rob Harris
Robert.Harris@PositivelyNeutral.com
(914) 482-2448
I have been fortunate to have a career that spanned two decades as a commercial litigator before transitioning to senior inhouse counsel positions with financial services companies. This diverse experience unquestionably has made me a better arbitrator and a better mediator, enabling me to understand the objectives and context that underlie business and employment disputes.
I enjoy helping resolve disputes, something I have been privileged to do for many years, both through private engagement and service for the American Arbitration Association and other tribunals. In addition to its general Commercial, Employment, Construction and Consumer panels, AAA has invited me to participate on its specialty panels for Large Complex Cases, Mergers and Acquisitions and Joint Ventures. And, with recent years’ expansion of online ADR through Zoom and other technologies, I have been able to provide services throughout the United States, with New York and Connecticut being the locations where I arbitrate and mediate most frequently.
My longstanding ADR experience centers on commercial, contractual and employment matters involving business entities and their shareholders, investors, management, senior employees, vendors, contractors and service providers. Disputes have encompassed a variety of industries and contexts including:
- Financial services (e.g., hedge fund, private equity, fundraising and capital markets) relationships
- Contract interpretation and enforcement
- Business divorce
- Real estate development and construction
- Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures
- Company relationships with their most senior personnel
- Usurpation of corporate opportunities
- Business torts
- Lender, borrower and guarantor dynamics
- Separation of medical and other professional practice groups
- Non-competition and non-solicitation agreements
- Construction relationships (e.g., project owner, general contractor, subcontractors, suppliers)
- Professional negligence/malpractice
- Franchise and distributor arrangements
- Valuation of ownership interests (company, real estate, other assets)
Additional detail is available on this arbitration and mediation profile, and list of matters on which I have worked in recent years.
I seem to have a particular affinity for complex financial services disputes and emotionally charged matters involving a company’s owners, principals and senior level executives.
I served three years as Chair of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, and was privileged to receive the Honorable Robert C. Zampano Award for Excellence in Mediation, named for a Connecticut federal judge renowned for his settlement skills.
I stay abreast of developments in the ADR arena, based on regular skill set training, and reading and writing about court rulings, referencing ones of note on the “Recent Decisions” link above. I also indulge a frolic and detour known as Golf Dispute Resolution, a website/blog that tracks the intersection of golf and law.
The most recent issue of my quarterly newsletter on arbitration and mediation matters can be found here, and previous issues and other recent publications are available here. Anyone interested in being added to the mailing list is invited to send an email request.
Finally, while I do not actively solicit testimonials, I always am appreciative to hear from attorneys (such as these generous comments I recently received), and I am happy to provide references to those tasked with making the important decision of who to select as your next arbitrator or mediator.
Rob Harris
Robert.Harris@PositivelyNeutral.com
(914) 482-2448
positivelyneutral.com 