Los Angeles – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that Donna Marie Melby, Esq., has joined its panel. Ms. Melby joins JAMS with 45 years of trial, litigation and counseling experience both inside and outside state and federal courtrooms across the country.
Throughout her career, Ms. Melby has represented clients in their most high-profile, sensitive and challenging matters. She has successfully litigated cases across the United States and internationally and has extensive experience with jury and non-jury trials as well as international and domestic arbitration. Most recently, she was a partner in the employment and labor and litigation departments at Paul Hastings. During her tenure with the firm, she served as chair of Global Diversity, chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative and chair of its Los Angeles employment and labor practice.
Based in the Los Angeles Resolution Center, Ms. Melby will serve as a mediator, arbitrator, special master/referee and neutral evaluator, handling business/commercial, employment, class action and mass torts, entertainment and sports, product liability and personal injury cases. She is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country and internationally.
Ms. Melby is a trailblazer both in and out of the courtroom and a widely recognized leader within the legal community. She has an incredible track record of handling complex, high-stakes cases nationally and internationally for her clients across a wide range of industry sectors.
- Chris Poole, JAMS CEO
Ms. Melby was the first woman counsel to advise one of her Fortune 50 public company clients’ board of directors on C-suite executive challenges, transitions, organizational change, misconduct and compensation. In addition to her complex litigation practice, her work frequently included counsel to boards across a diverse range of industries regarding their most difficult leadership and organizational challenges. A dedicated member of the legal community, she has served as a member of the board and the Executive Committee of the National Center for State Courts and was honored to serve on the California Judicial Council, including on its Executive and Planning committees and on California’s Judicial Selection Advisory Council. A fellow and regent of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the first woman to serve as president of the American Board of Trial Advocates, nationally and in Los Angeles, she is a nationally recognized trial lawyer.
I am forever grateful for the trust and confidence of valued clients who allowed the opportunity to try, litigate and counsel on their complex and challenging problems over the last many years. Similarly, I appreciate the very good fortune to work with and opposite some of the most accomplished and respected counsel across the country. My hope and expectation is that the diverse case handling opportunities will provide the best possible foundation for the next chapter, focused on dispute resolution.
- Donna Marie Melby, Esq.
Ms. Melby earned her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her J.D. from California Western School of Law.
About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.
Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. JAMS successfully resolves and manages business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized in-person, virtual and hybrid resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, the latest technology and highly trained mediators and arbitrators.
With a roster of over 450 neutrals and 29 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person, virtual or hybrid hearings.
More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and our JAMS ADR blog. To learn about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at JAMS, visit www.jamsadr.com/diversity/.
