November 7: Balancing Fairness and Finality in Arbitration—A State-Federal Contrast

Sixth Annual Weil Lecture will feature speakers Richard Chernick and Professor Christopher Drahozal and moderator Rebecca Brown. Register now.

California jurisprudence has carefully balanced arbitration’s twin goals of enforceability (party autonomy) and finality with due process concerns for a process that is not reviewed on the merits.

U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence has similarly promoted enforceability and finality but seems less concerned with due process. Recent cases have opened a widening gap between the two lines of cases making preemption a recurring issue.

The 6th Annual Robert I. Weil Lecture, “Balancing Fairness and Finality in Arbitration: A State-Federal Contrast,” will feature a review of recent cases from both courts and the contrasting trends along with a discussion of recent developments, how arbitration is likely to evolve, and whether California jurisprudence will be able to protect due process rights of future participants.

The November 7 program—presented by the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Center for Civic Mediation—will feature speakers Richard Chernick, vice president and managing director of JAMS' Arbitration Practice; Professor Christopher Drahozal of the University of Kansas School of Law, who is an internationally renowned scholar on the law and economics of dispute resolution, particularly arbitration; and moderator Rebecca Brown, Newton Professor of Constitutional Law at USC Gould School of Law.

Sponsors include The Rutter Group; ARC, Alternative Resolution Centers and Max Factor III; Richard Chernick and JAMS, the Resolution Experts; David and Annette Weil; Los Angeles Daily Journal; Hon. Jerry K. Fields (ret.); William B. Fitzgerald; Hon. Haley J. Fromholz (ret.); Alan Sieroty; and the California Judges Association. Additional sponsorships are available.

Program information. The event will be held on November 7, 2011, at the downtown offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 333 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles and will be preceded by a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. Proceeds of the event will benefit Center for Civic Mediation community and youth peer mediation programs. For more information and reservations, contact Anita Almonte at (213) 896-6537 or register online.