Hon. John M. Mott (Ret.) has successfully mediated, arbitrated, and served as a neutral case evaluator at JAMS in multiple matters since 2018, following more than 18 years of distinguished service as a judge for the District of Columbia Superior Court, including the last seven years presiding over trials and conducting judicial mediation in a wide array of complex civil disputes. His fairness, patience and deep understanding of the legal process, legal issues and possible outcomes combined with his three decades of experience as a judge, litigator and trial advocacy professor have served Judge Mott as an ADR professional.

Judge Mott has settled a wide variety of disputes, including employment, business, commercial, insurance, construction, medical malpractice, personal injury, civil rights, consumer, probate, family and many others. Judge Mott has gained a reputation for facilitating the settlement of an extremely high percentage of his cases, including the most difficult and intractable matters. He has handled mediations and arbitrations across the country and has also developed a neutral analysis practice that allows him to draw on his vast legal experience and business acumen.

As an arbitrator, Judge Mott is thoughtful to coordinate with counsel on a comprehensive case management order to ensure the proceedings move forward fairly and efficiently. Judge Mott also serves as a court appointed neutral/Special Master and has handled numerous discovery disputes (traditional and electronic), privilege and work product issues, and various types of projects and investigations, working closely with counsel to develop a plan to streamline case management of these matters. 

Judge Mott draws on his experience, sense of fairness, emotional intelligence, and creativity to help parties achieve resolution. Judge Mott is a tenacious mediator that believes in the importance of pre-session discussions; he takes care to review party submissions and prepares thoroughly for mediations so he can quickly get to the essence of the matter and understand the priorities of the parties. Using an evaluative approach, Judge Mott discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the parties’ positions with counsel in advance of—and during—the mediation. 

ADR Experience and Qualifications

Representative Matters

• Employment Law
• Mediated discrimination cases involving national and local corporations, organizations, and other employers involving allegations of wrongful termination, retaliatory discharge, sexual harassment, hostile work environment and discrimination based on age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, family status, and other categories
• Business/Commercial
• Mediated a variety of disputes involving construction, real estate and technology contracts; insurance; contract interpretation; fraud; partnership; noncompete agreements; construction defects; property damage; condominium associations; attorneys’ fees; and others
Religious Institutions

• Mediated cases involving religious institutions and allegations of fraud, mismanagement, violation of bylaws and composition of boards 
• Professional Liability
Legal Malpractice

• Mediated cases against small, medium, and large law firms involving allegations of malpractice in a variety of fields and issues, including conflicts of interest, litigation advice, settlement advice, and trial decisions
Medical Malpractice

• Mediated medical malpractice claims against health care providers and institutions of various types; mediated multiple personal injury and wrongful death cases involving a variety of medical specialties; regularly addressed issues relating to informed consent and the national standards of care and requests for monetary and nonmonetary relief
• Personal Injury
• Mediated matters dealing with automobile collisions, Amtrak, WMATA, products liability, construction site accidents, allegations of wrongful death, negligent infliction of emotional distress, lost wages and medical expenses
• Higher Education
• Mediated a range of university disputes including those involving denial of tenure and allegations of various forms of discrimination and retaliation
• International
• Mediated international disputes involving multinational corporations and foreign companies
• Probate
• Mediated matters involving disputes between family members and others over property, holdover tenancy, quiet title and partition, among other issues
• Family Law
• Mediated and presided over complex, contentious, and emotional family matters involving issues of child custody and property distribution, assessment of marital versus non-marital property, valuation, contribution, visitation and other parenting issues, spousal and child support

Honors, Memberships, Professional Activities, and Presentations

• Member, New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia Bar Associations
• American Bar Association
• National Association of Women Judges
• Hispanic Bar Association
• Former Steering Committee Co-Chair, Courts Lawyers and the Administration of Justice Section, D.C. Bar Association
• Former Member, Charlotte E. Ray American Inn of Court 
• Completed training, Virtual ADR training, and ethics and security training conducted by JAMS and the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
• Adjunct Professor, George Washington University School of Law School, The American Jury, 2001-2018
• Adjunct Professor, Trial Advocacy, Harvard Law School, 2011-2025
• Speaker and Lecturer on mediation best practices, neutral case evaluation, and various aspects of ADR at multiple sessions for the DC Superior Court, the DC Bar, various bar associations, and multiple law firms, 2016-2025

Background and Education

• Associate Judge, District of Columbia Superior Court, 2000-2018; Senior Judge, 2018-2021
• Acting Chief, Deputy Chief and Senior Trial Attorney, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, U.S. Department of Justice, 1995-2000
• Public Defender Service, 1988-1995
• J.D., Northeastern University School of Law, 1988
• B.A., History, Dartmouth College, 1981