Jerry Grissom, Esq. has mediated and arbitrated the resolution of hundreds of disputes in 20 states, in a broad range of subjects, size, and complexity. He brings to each case the know-how for resolving disputes acquired from 12 years of experience as a full-time neutral and 20 years of business and tort litigation practice with a respected Dallas law firm. A tenacious but gracious advocate for settlement, he is recognized as a “go to” mediator for the difficult case. Fair and independent, Mr. Grissom is frequently selected as sole arbitrator and on arbitration panels as member and chair. Parties and counsel alike have expressed high levels of satisfaction with his capable management of ADR proceedings.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• Arbitration: business/commercial; employment; construction; banking; franchise; patent royalty; telecommunications; valuation of business
• Business/Commercial: acquisition and sale of business; stock and asset purchase agreements; accounting; banking/finance; franchise; fraud; indemnity; partnership disputes; software; valuation of minority interests; value of company on change of control
• Class Actions: auto insurance; health insurance; laptop computers
• Employment: non-compete covenants; theft of trade secrets; discrimination and retaliation (age, ADA, FMLA, gender, race, religion, sexual harassment); executive compensation; USERRA
• Energy: oil and gas, pipeline, power generation
• Insurance: coverage and valuation of damages on most kinds of risks; bad faith
• Intellectual Property: high tech products; copyright; patent royalty; software development; software rights; trademark; trade dress
• Personal Torts: injury/death; negligence; product liability; medical malpractice; toxic torts; slander; libel
• Professional Liability: accountants; attorneys; doctors; insurance consultants

Representative Matters 

• Minority owner of privately owned franchise acquired by publicly held company claimed corporate oppression by majority owner and sought fair value of interest from sale proceeds 
• Dispute re cable company rights to re-transmit television stations’ local and network content
• Claims of breach of contract and wrongful interference involving license agreement for airline reservations scheduling software
• Buyers in multi-million dollar stock purchase agreement claimed seller misrepresented value of company; seller disputed indemnity obligations
• Employer's claim for theft of trade secrets (product formula and client lists) and breach of non-compete agreement by former employee and his new company
• Dispute between two equal partners of multi-million dollar financial services business re valuation of interests and whether to sell it for profit or expand the business
• Mediated resolution of 42 technical and legal issues re development of insurance company website
• Woodwork manufacturer claim for copyright infringement of decorative designs
• Dispute re whether transaction was a change in control that triggered management incentive plan for executive team, and re value of multi-million dollar company at time of transaction

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Elected Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators; Texas Board of Law Examiners; Fellow, Texas & Dallas Bar Foundations; Chair, Dallas Bar Committees; Adjunct faculty, SMU Law School; Mentor, UNT Dallas College of Law; Board of Directors, KERA Channel13 (PBS)

Background and Education

• Trial Lawyer, Thompson & Knight, 1977-1997
• J.D., with honors, Harvard Law School, 1976
• B.A., with highest honors, Baylor University, 1973