New York – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that Michele A. Roberts, Esq., has joined its panel. Ms. Roberts joins JAMS after an eight-year tenure as the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
As the first woman to head a major professional sports union in North America, Ms. Roberts negotiated for NBPA members new collective bargaining agreements that secured better salaries, schedules and health protocols. In this role, she guided the organization through the COVID-19 crisis as players, the National Basketball Association and owners designed the “bubblelike” environment within which the league resumed play during the pandemic. Ms. Roberts also played an instrumental role in promoting racial justice within the league.
Based in the New York Resolution Center, Ms. Roberts will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, special master/referee and neutral evaluator, handling antitrust and competition, business/commercial, civil rights, class action and mass tort, employment and labor, entertainment and sports, insurance, intellectual property, personal injury and product liability cases. She is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country and internationally.
Ms. Roberts is highly respected within the legal industry for her capability as a litigator, deep bench of knowledge within the sports industry and outstanding track record for handling complex, high-stakes cases across industries. Beyond her legal prowess, she is a fierce advocate for racial justice and a leader who believes in compassion, fairness and equitable access under the law.
- Kimberly Taylor, JAMS CEO and president
Prior to serving as executive director of the NBPA, Ms. Roberts was a trial lawyer and partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Before that, she was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. In both roles, her practice focused on complex civil and white-collar litigation before federal and state courts and administrative bodies. During her time in private practice, she tried over 150 cases to jury verdicts, negotiated countless settlements on behalf of clients and handled litigations involving a wide variety of industries.
After trying more than 150 cases to jury verdicts, neutral evaluation—opining on the likely success of a jury presentation—is an area in which I can add value and facilitate negotiated settlements cognizant of litigation risks. I’m looking forward to applying the skills I’ve honed throughout my career in this new role as a JAMS neutral.
- Michele A. Roberts, Esq.
Ms. Roberts earned her B.A. from Wesleyan University and her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley 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/.