Washington, D.C. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that Hon. Cheri Beasley (Ret.) has joined its panel. Chief Justice Beasley joins JAMS with over two decades of service as a judge in North Carolina, including serving as chief justice on the state’s Supreme Court.
In 2019, Chief Justice Beasley made history as the first African American woman to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. During her tenure, she advocated for judicial reforms such as expanding access to treatment courts and introducing electronic filing systems to improve court accessibility. She was appointed to the bench in 1999, serving for a decade as a district court judge, where she presided over thousands of civil, family, juvenile, criminal and traffic cases. In 2008, she was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and in 2012, she became an associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Based in the Washington, D.C., Resolution Center, Chief Justice Beasley will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, neutral evaluator, court-appointed neutral and special master/referee, handling appellate, business and commercial, civil rights, employment, family law, insurance, personal injury/torts, product liability and real property matters. She is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country and internationally.
“Throughout her career, Chief Justice Beasley has presided over cases through pretrial rulings, bench trials, judgments and settlement conferences across a wide range of practice areas. She is also an invested member of the legal community and has remained an active speaker and educator. Chief Justice Beasley is a trailblazer and an outstanding leader, and we are fortunate to have her as a panelist.”
Kimberly Taylor, JAMS CEO and president
After a judicial career that spanned over two decades, Chief Justice Beasley joined McGuire Woods as a partner in the Business and Securities Litigation Section and, just before joining JAMS, then became a shareholder at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, where she focused on complex business and commercial litigation and economic development. She is active in bench and bar presentations and events, and supports community initiatives that advance education and hunger relief. In 2024, she was appointed as the inaugural Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Professor of Law at Elon University School of Law, teaching courses on appellate practice, professional responsibility and negotiation.
“What an honor it has been to serve the public and the legal community in North Carolina and beyond for so many years. As a jurist, I have presided over cases that increasingly presented the most complex issues. My experience litigating and teaching has influenced my approach to applying the law and working with parties. I look forward to using the breadth of my experience to help parties reach resolution.”
Chief Justice Beasley.
Chief Justice Beasley earned her B.A. from Rutgers University/Douglas College, her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law and her LL.M. in judicial studies, from Duke University School of Law.
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/.