Alternative Dispute Resolution
Apr. 23, 2025
Litigators, not just retired judges, now fill ranks of in-demand neutrals
See more on Litigators, not just retired judges, now fill ranks of in-demand neutralsOnce dominated by retired judges with decades on the bench, California's alternative dispute resolution industry is seeing a generational and professional shift. Top firms now recruit former litigators -- some in their 30s and 40s -- as clients demand deeper specialization, hustle, and a new kind of neutrality.
When many people think of an alternative dispute resolution professional, they might picture a former judge. That image likely comes with gray hair, gravitas and a reputation for neutrality honed during years on the bench.
But according to executives at top firms, the newest generation of neutrals might just as easily have been a hard-nosed litigator. They also might still be years away from their first gray hair.
"It seems to me that the professionals in the indus...
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