Profile

Frank Lightmas

Partner

I am an experienced, effective and respected arbitrator who combines the abilities of a Super Lawyer® with the experience of a veteran and widely respected arbitrator and mediator certified by and registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution as a neutral in the areas of arbitration, general mediation and early neutral evaluation. I have served as an arbitrator in approximately 150 cases as a member of arbitration neutral panels and ad hoc panels. Cases have included single neutral arbitrations, single neutral arbitrations decided on the basis of written submissions only, three-neutral panels and five-neutral panels. I have generally served as chairperson and have conducted and participated in pre-hearing conferences, issued discovery, non-dispositive and dispositive rulings, and presided over final hearings that have resulted in final awards being issued. I am also experienced in conducting arbitrations on expedited basis. Preliminary and final hearings have been conducted in-person, totally via Zoom and through hybrid proceedings with certain witnesses, parties or counsel appearing in person and others via Zoom from multiple locations. I have also served as a mediator in over 500 cases in over 25 states and the District of Columbia. Many have involved complex, multi-party disputes, the largest of which involved over 200 parties. I employ evaluative, facilitative and transformative techniques to aid the mediation process and also actively use evaluative techniques and reality testing approaches to advance the process if appropriate and the parties request. I am also proficient in and have conducted online video mediations using the Zoom platform with parties, counsel and others appearing in multiple locations. I have also served as an early neutral evaluator, special master, discovery referee, hearing officer and dispute resolution board member and participated in mock trials and arbitrations to help parties and their counsel analyze their case in advance of an actual mediation or trial/arbitration. For my complete resume, please go to https://www.lightmaslaw.com/images/Frank_Lightmas_resume.pdf.

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