Seasoned dispute resolution professional with decades of experience handling multi-million dollar matters,  and smaller matters, for individuals, large, public, nationwide entities, smaller closely held entities, employers, employees, corporate officers, professionals and entrepreneurs.

Significant experience in both commercial and employment work. Also has the unique experience of working as a personal injury defense lawyer and a plaintiff personal injury lawyer. This unique experience from both sides of the isle leads to an understanding not typically encountered.

Very comfortable handling arbitrations and mediations on line and in person anywhere in the United States or outside the United States as desired.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE

• AAA Commercial Panel - Arbitrator, Mediator
• AAA Employment Panel - Arbitrator, Mediator
• AAA Consumer Panel - Arbitrator
• FINRA - Arbitrator
• EEOC - Mediator
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Roster
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution - CPR - Arbitrator, Mediator
• National Arbitration and Mediation - Arbitrator, Mediator
• US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Panel of Neutrals
• Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas - Arbitrator, Mediator
• Private Practice Arbitration and Mediation

Topics include, but not limited to:

COMMERCIAL

• Breach of contract
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Breach of operating agreement
• Mergers and acquisitions/joint ventures
• Fraud
• Real estate/leasing
• Product liability

EMPLOYMENT

• Discrimination
• Breach of contract
• Trade secret
• Noncompete
• Non-Solicitation
• Confidentiality
• FLSA
• ADA
• FMLA

OTHER

• Consumer
• Insurance
• Professional liability
• FDCPA
• TCPA

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION TRAINING

Harvard Law School’s Advanced Mediation Workshop - a full week, intensive, international program attended by invitation only to recognized master level ADR practitioners emphasizing complex, multi-party, multi-issue and public policy dispute resolution.

AAA Mediator Essentials: Skills for Facilitating Negotiated Agreements - A vigorous, fast-paced, four day, thirty two hour course held in New York City with an emphasis on difficult mediation issues.

AAA Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for AAA Arbitrators;

AAA Arbitration Awards: Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards;

FINRA Training;

EEOC Training;

Training through the American Bar Association's Section of Dispute Resolution;

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Training;

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Almost 30 years of experience as a defense, plaintiff, business, commercial, and employment litigator.

Litigated personal injury, product liability and professional negligence claims both from the defense and plaintiff side.  

Litigated complex commercial, business, shareholder, partnership, joint venture, employment, discrimination, trade secrets, non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, real estate, leasing, franchising, insurance coverage, product liability, banking, trust and estate/probate and other matters, as well as handling class action and multidistrict litigation (MDL).

Represented a number of employee clients who have asserted discrimination and other employment claims and negotiated settlements and severance packages for clients.

Represented a number of corporate clients regarding discrimination and employment claims brought against them, successfully defending and settling claims.

Consult related to the hiring, firing and laying off of employees and working the client through related issues.

Experience with Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Telephone Consumer Practices Act (TCPA); Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA); Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Drafted various Employment Manuals, policies and procedures related to all employment issues.

involved medical billing, coverage, denial of coverage, hospital contracting and other healthcare issues. Also retained by one of the local hospital chains as an arbitrator for doctor disputes. Represented doctors in litigation addressing medical billing, medical contracting and medical practice ownership type issues.

Spent four years working for two members of the United States House of Representatives as a Legislative Assistant handling research, writing, administrative and policy issues.

Previously served as the Chairman of the Litigation Section of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.

Served as Chairman of a midsized, well respected law firm's Litigation Group for many years.

PRESENTATIONS AND WRITINGS

Moderator, "The ABCs of ADR: Best Practices Guide for Litigators"

Presenter to Numerous Groups, “Mediation Advocacy for Litigators – What You Need To Know For A Successful Mediation"

Presenter, "The Unique Nature of Employment Mediation

Presenter, "The Ethics of Mediation"

Presenter, "Crisis in the Courts Paves the Way for Early Dispute Resolution"

Presenter, "Is the US Government Souring on Arbitration"

Panelist, “Becoming an ADR Neutral”

Presenter, "The Gender Wage Gap and Women's Unique Compensation Issues"

Presenter, "Non-competes Under Attack"

Presenter, "What I Hate About ADR Professionals And What I Hate About ADR Advocates"

Presenter, "Is The US Government Souring On Arbitration"

Presenter, "Important Contract Clauses to Consider" 

Article, "The Case for Alternative Dispute Resolution Over Litigation For Businesses"

Article, "Unlike Anything Else - The Unique Nature Of Employment Mediation"

Article, "The Federal Government Wants Non-Competes To Go Extinct"

Article, "The Advantges Of Alternative Disute Resolution In The Insurance Industry"

Article, “Mediation Advocacy for Litigators – Steps to a Successful Mediation”

Article, "Crisis in the Courts Paves the Way for Early Dispute Resolution" - This article was Featured by the ABA during its Mediation Week

Article, "The Core Values of Mediation Ethics"

Article, "Many Factors Support Early Mediation of Business Disputes"

Article, "Arbitration Under Attack" - This articel was Featured in the NY Bar Association Magazine

Article, "Arbitration, Fairer, Faster, Better" 

Article, "Commercial Litigation Trends"

Article, "Mediation And The Mediator's Proposal"

Article, "Things To Consider When Consulting With Clients Who Wish To Start A Business Together"

Numerous Blogs on website warnerlawyer.com

• • • Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.A. Political Science, May 1986
    • Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., May 1993, Law Review

  • ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION TRAINING

    Harvard Law School’s Advanced Mediation Workshop - a full week, intensive, international program attended by invitation only to recognized master level ADR practitioners emphasizing complex, multi-party, multi-issue and public policy dispute resolution.

    AAA Mediator Essentials: Skills for Facilitating Negotiated Agreements - A vigorous, fast-paced, four day, thirty two hour course held in New York City with an emphasis on difficult mediation issues.

    AAA Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for AAA Arbitrators;

    AAA Arbitration Awards: Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards;

    FINRA Training;

    EEOC Training;

    Training through the American Bar Association's Section of Dispute Resolution;

    Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Training;

• AAA Commercial Panel - Arbitrator, Mediator
• AAA Employment Panel - Arbitrator, Mediator
• AAA Consumer Panel - Arbitrator
• AAA Healthcare Panel - Arbitrator, Mediator
• FINRA - Arbitrator
• EEOC - Mediator
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Roster
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution - CPR - Arbitrator, Mediator
• National Arbitration and Mediation - Arbitrator, Mediator
• US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Panel of Neutrals
• Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas - Arbitrator, Mediator
• Private Practice Arbitration and Mediation
• Board of Directors of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Cleveland
• A graduate of the Leadership Cleveland class of 2016
• Member of the Board of Directors of The Gathering Place (a caring community for those touched by cancer)
• Member of the Strategic Planning Committee, Member of the Executive Committee.
• Completed four years of service on WVIZ PBS/ideastream’s Community Advisory Board.
• Chairman of the Westlake, Ohio Civil Service Commission
• Lay Minister, Minister to the Sick and Usher at his local parish
• Provided pro bono legal assistance to a number of local non-profits

Please contact for details.