Miami – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that John W. Thornton, Jr., Retired Judge 11th Judicial Circuit, and Gilbert K. Squires, BCS, have been honored with Circle of Excellence Awards for Alternate Dispute Resolution by the Miami-Dade Bar Association. The awards will be presented at the Annual Awards Ceremony on November 14 in Miami.
In their second year, Circle of Excellence Awards are given to attorneys and paralegals who exemplify the values and ethics of those in the legal profession in Florida. Award nominees are evaluated by both independent research and peer evaluation, with assessment guided by key indicators, including verdicts/settlements, transactions, clients, experience and past honors and other achievements. Honorees are ultimately selected by members of the Miami-Dade Bar.
“We are incredibly proud to congratulate Judge Thornton and Mr. Squires on this fantastic recognition by the Miami-Dade Bar. This honor is a testament to their combined decades of contributions within the ADR field. Their knowledge and deep experience in handling complex disputes across industries continues to set a high standard within the Florida legal community and beyond.”
Kimberly Taylor, JAMS CEO and president
Judge Thornton joined JAMS after serving 12 years as an Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court judge, including five years as presiding judge in the Complex Business Litigation Division. He began his career as a Miami-Dade assistant state attorney and later co-founded Thornton & Rothman, P.A., where he practiced for 28 years. He also served on the Florida Bar Board of Governors for a decade and as president of both the Florida Bar Foundation and the Miami-Dade Bar Association. His outstanding reputation stems from his objective approach, thorough preparation and respectful treatment of all litigants and attorneys.
In his role at JAMS, Judge Thornton serves as a mediator, arbitrator, special magistrate and private trial judge, specializing in commercial, insurance and employment disputes; class actions; and professional and personal negligence cases.
Prior to joining JAMS in 2024, Mr. Squires had a diverse career spanning over four decades of successful experience in global business, construction, oil and gas, power generation and law. He has served as an international and domestic arbitrator, mediator, advocate and company representative in over 500 cases while working as an international lawyer, engineer, and oil and gas company executive. He is lauded for his ability to create an empathy-filled environment in each case that he handles and how he works with parties.
A former president of the Miami-Dade Bar Association, Mr. Squires, now with JAMS, serves as an arbitrator, mediator, court-appointed neutral and special magistrate/referee, handling business/commercial, international and cross-border, energy, maritime and admiralty, construction, real estate, estate/probate/trust and technology cases.
More information about the Miami-Dade Bar Association’s Circle of Excellence Awards can be found here.
About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.
Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. With a roster of over 450 neutrals and 29 locations, JAMS successfully resolves and manages tens of thousands of 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.
Building on this foundation, JAMS Pathways focuses on early conflict resolution, facilitation and training.
Learn more about JAMS Pathways at jamspathways.com.
More information about JAMS 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/.
