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1000 Second Avenue, 30th Floor P: (206) 382-1000 Assistant: Linda Lading LAWRENCE R. MILLS is an experienced Seattle arbitrator and mediator with a nationwide dispute resolution practice. Mr. Mills has served as Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution. He is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators and a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators. |
Current Firm
Mills Meyers Swartling
Profession
Arbitrator, Mediator, and Attorney in Business Law, Business Organizations, Commercial Transactions, Real Property, and Commercial Litigation
Work History
- Principal/Shareholder, Mills Meyers Swartling, 1992-present
- Partner/Shareholder, Mills & Cogan, 1981-1992
- Attorney, Private Practice, 1978-1981
- Associate, Davis Wright Todd Riese & Jones, 1975-1978
Law Practice Experience
Over 30 years of experience in business law and commercial litigation. Substantial experience in general representation of business organizations, including a variety of wholesale and retail businesses, banks, real estate firms, contractors, and numerous professionals including physicians, accountants, dentists, architects, engineers and attorneys. Practice also includes substantial experience in commercial litigation, including partnership and shareholder disputes, construction claims, employment issues, securities matters, estate planning and probate. Experience in formation and reorganization of corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies; purchases and sales of businesses; and commercial and residential real estate transactions.
Dispute Resolution Experience
Over 25 years of experience in dispute resolution in a wide variety of contexts, including commercial, contracts, real estate, construction, employment, intellectual property, and estates and trusts. Member of the American Arbitration Association’s Commercial, Construction, International, Large Complex Case, and Mediation Panels. Arbitrator for CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution, FINRA Dispute Resolution, and King County Superior Court Mandatory Arbitration Program.
Mediation Experience
Over 25 years experience as a mediator. Extensive mediation experience in commercial cases including contract disputes, construction claims, partnership and shareholder disputes, employment issues, securities matters, real estate development and commercial leasing transactions, sales and purchases of businesses, software development, and intellectual property. Mediated numerous disputes involving multiple parties with multiple layers of insurance coverage in which the disputes generally arise in the context of construction claims, indemnification for catastrophic losses in product liability cases, and in multi-party quasi class actions involving breach of warranties regarding real and personal property. Mediated hundreds of cases involving diverse subject matters throughout the country, although the bulk of mediation practice is on the west coast including Alaska. Mediator for the American Arbitration Association, CPR Institute, and the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington.
Dispute Resolution Training
- ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Conference, 2001-2011
- College of Commercial Arbitrators Annual Meeting, 2008-2010
- Washington State Bar Association, Emerging Trends in Dispute Resolution, 2007
- ADR Roundtable, Mediators Roundtable Training, 2006
- AAA Chairing an Arbitration Panel: Managing Procedures, Process & Dynamics (ACE005), 2005
- AAA Dealing With Delay Tactics in Arbitration (ACE004), 2005
- FINRA Arbitrator Training, 2004
- AAA Arbitrator Update, 2001
- AAA Commercial Arbitrator II Training: Advanced Case Management Issues, 2001
- Washington State Bar Association, Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference, 2001
- AAA Mediator Conference Workshop, 2000
- AAA Commercial Arbitrator Training, 1998
- AAA Mediator Training, 1998
- AAA Arbitrator Training, 1992
- Western District of Washington Mediator Training Seminar, 1992
Professional Licenses
- Alaska Bar Association, 1974
- Washington Bar Association, 1975
- U.S. District Court; District of Alaska, 1974
- Western District of Washington, 1975
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1982.
Professional Associations
- College of Commercial Arbitrators (Fellow)
- International Academy of Mediators (Distinguished Fellow)
- American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution (Past Chair and Council Member)
- Washington State Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section (Past Chair)
- 2003 Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference (Past Co-Chair)
- King County Bar Association ADR Section (Past Chair)
- Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington (Approved Mediator and Arbitrator; ADR Committee)
- ADR Roundtable
Community Organizations
- Bainbridge Community Foundation, formerly known as the Bainbridge Island Community Endowment (Board Member and Past President)
- One Call for All (Past President)
- Bainbridge Public Schools Trust (Past Board Member)
Education
- Princeton University (BSE-1969)
- University of Michigan (MPP-1973; JD-1974; Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Law Reform)
Awards and Honors
- Citizen of the Year Award for Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2001
- Award of Merit for work with YWCA of Kitsap County Domestic Violence Program, 1999
- ALI-ABA Harrison Tweed Award for Special Merit in CLE, 1990
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- Co-author, “When Arbitrators Exceed Their Powers,” Dispute Resolution Journal, April 2009
- “Arbitrating the Mega-Case,” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, February 2008
- “The Continuum of Dispute Resolution Processes,” Federal Bar Association, Western District of Washington, January 2008
- “Advanced Mediation and Advocacy Skills Training,” October 2007
- “Advanced Mediation and Advocacy Skills Training,” October 2005
- Co-author: “A Courtroom Lawyer’s Guide to Arbitration,” Litigation, Spring 2005
- “Vacatur of Arbitration Awards: A Real-World Review of the Case Law,” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Conference, April 2005
- “ADR Drafting Tips,” Dispute Resolution Magazine, Spring 2002
- “Managing Evidence and Discovery in Arbitration,” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Conference, April, 2002
- “Why and When to Mediate,” WSBA CLE, June 2001
- “Compelling and Repelling Arbitration,” WSBA Litigation News, Winter 2001
- “The Arbitration Alternative: Submission Cases,” WSBA Litigation News, Summer 2000
- “Combining Mediation and Arbitration,” Dispute Resolution Journal, November, 1999
- Frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars regarding mediation, arbitration, and legal ethics; created lawyer training materials for the Washington State Bar Association Skills Training Course for new lawyers