Bennett G. Picker | Senior Counsel

CONTACT INFORMATION
215.564.8054 bpicker@stradley.com Download V-Card		Office(s): Philadelphia, PA

Bennett Picker has an active ADR practice, serving both as a mediator and arbitrator in business disputes and as a trainer in mediation and negotiations. He has successfully resolved several hundred domestic and international disputes with a cumulative value of more than $2 billion. He has served as a mediator in complex business disputes in corporate and commercial transactions, asset/stock purchase agreements, securities, employment, environmental, ERISA, intellectual property, health care, real estate, products liability, bankruptcy, construction, class actions, professional liability, and shareholder and partnership disputes.

In 2010, Mr. Picker received the American Bar Association’s "Lawyer as Problem Solver Award." He was recognized for his unprecedented insight into new avenues of dispute resolution. The award is presented annually to an individual or institution that demonstrates profound creativity in problem solving.

Mr. Picker is a member of the Panel of Distinguished Neutrals and the Employment Panel of the CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution; a member of the Commercial Mediation, Arbitration, International and National Class Action Panels of the American Arbitration Association; a fellow of both the American College of Civil Trial Mediators and the International Academy of Mediators and is certified by the International Mediation Institute. He is the author of Mediation Practice Guide – A Handbook for Resolving Business Disputes (Second Edition) published by the American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution, and has written numerous book chapters and articles on mediation and arbitration.

Over several prior decades, Mr. Picker represented plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of commercial cases, including contract, securities, employment, UCC, products liability and complex commercial matters.

An active participant in the Philadelphia Bar Association, Mr. Picker served as the Association’s chancellor and as chairman of the Association’s board of governors, judiciary committee and appellate courts committee. He is a founder and advisory board member of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts and a former member of the Pennsylvania Trial Court Nominating Commission (First Judicial District).

Mr. Picker was also named one of the "Top 100 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers") consecutively since 2004 by a vote of his peers. In addition, he was selected to be included in the 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005 editions of The Best Lawyers in America, regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States, as well as the 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007 editions of Chambers USA.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

ADR Certifications and Panels

• Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators

• Fellow, American College of Civil Trial Mediators

• Member, Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution

• CPR Arbitration and Mediation Panels

• CPR U.S. – China Trade Panel

• CPR National Employment Panel

• Member, Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Panels of American Arbitration Association (AAA)
– AAA Large Complex Case Panel
– AAA National Class Action Arbitration Panel
– ICDR Mediation Panel (International Centre for Dispute Resolution)

• Member, Mediation Panel of Court of Arbitration for Sport (Lausanne, Switzerland)

• Member, Mediation Panel of World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva, Switzerland)

• Certified Mediator, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

• Certified Mediator, International Mediation Institute (Netherlands)

ADR Boards

• Board of Directors and Executive Committee, American Arbitration Association and former Co-Chair of Association’s National Mediation Committee

• Executive Advisory Committee, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution

• Advisory Council of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution of Pepperdine University School of Law

ADR Lectures and Training

Mr. Picker has served as a lecturer/trainer (ADR, mediation and negotiations) in programs sponsored by American and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Practicing Law Institute, Center for Dispute Resolution (United Kingdom), CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution, American Arbitration Association, American Corporate Counsel Association, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, American College of Civil Trial Mediators, International Academy of Mediators, Villanova Law School, Temple University Law School and at numerous in-house legal departments of corporations throughout the U.S.

Representative Issues Resolved in Mediation and Arbitration

Mr. Picker has served as a mediator and arbitrator in numerous complex business disputes, including the following representative cases:

• several hundred million dollar claim by a public company against a major accounting firm in connection with its audit (allegedly wrong but issuance of going concern letter)

• claims by a state insurance commissioner against a national law firm for alleged breaches of fiduciary duties

• dispute between two healthcare institutions involving alleged breaches of affiliation agreement (mediation resolved dispute and also permitted parties to dissolve a joint medical practice)

• dispute arising out of employment termination of key executives of a public company

• alleged breach-of-asset purchase and continuing supply agreements

• several hundred million dollar claim by trustee in a bankruptcy against multiple parties involving claims of breaches of fiduciary duties, fraud and equitable subordination

• claim by a manufacturing company against a manufacturer of component parts which were recalled worldwide

• alleged fraud involving computer software licenses

• several hundred million dollar claim against numerous North American and European insurance companies by owners of satellite which exploded in space

• numerous claims against accounting firms in connection with audits – including claims for breaches of fiduciary duties and violations of GAAP and GAAS

• claims by a trustee of a public company in bankruptcy against officers and directors and the company’s accounting firm for damages arising from deepening insolvency, claims by minority shareholders of the corporation against majority shareholders for breaches of fiduciary duties and "minority oppression"

• numerous shareholder, partnership and real estate disputes involving competing arguments on valuation issues

• dispute over worldwide distribution of patent royalties involving two pharmaceutical companies which jointly developed and marketed the product

• claims of wrongful termination, employment discrimination and contract right to tenure by a university professor

• allegations of patent infringement, misappropriation of "know how" and breaches of exclusivity and lenitoriality provisions of a patent license agreement between U.S. and European companies

• copyright infringement claim against an author by a competing publication

• claims by limited partners in real estate investments against a general partner for misallocation of profits from pooled sale of properties

• claims against a national law firm for damages arising from alleged conflicts of interest and failure to disclose certain relationships

• nine figure claims for breach of contract by purchaser of numerous pools of many thousands of subprime mortgages (against originator of mortgages)

Statement of Personal Mediation Philosophy

User Feedback (International Mediation Institute)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

• Philadelphia Bar Association:
- Chancellor (1986)
- Chair, Appellate Courts Committee (1978-1979)
- Chair, Board of Governors (1974)
- Chair, Judiciary Committee (1974)

• Pennsylvania Bar Association, House of Delegates (1974-1993)

• American Bar Association (Sections on Dispute Resolution and Local Government)

• Philadelphia Bar Foundation, Trustee (1984-1990)

• Association of the Bar of the City of New York

• Former Vice President, U.S. District Court Historical Society

• Chair, U.S. District Court Bicentennial Celebration (E.D. Pa.)

Boards (other than ADR)

• Advisory Board and Co-Founder, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts

• Former Board Member, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

• Former Vice President, Jewish Community Relations Council

• Former Trustee, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

• Former Board Member (Founding Member), Meritas

• National Advisory Board, Hildebrandt, Inc.

• Advisory Board Member, International Amateur Athletic Association

• Former Vice President, Columbia Law School Alumni Association

Public Office

• Pennsylvania Trial Court Nominating Commission (First Judicial District), Member and Secretary (1975-1979)

Awards and Honors

• American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution, "Lawyer as Problem Solver Award," 2010

• American Arbitration Association Outstanding Director Award, 2005

    Awards for Service as:

    • Co-Founder of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, 1988 (Presented by Justice Harry Blackman)

    • Chairman of Federal Court Celebration of the Bicentennial Bill of Rights, 1987 (Presented by Chief Justice Warren Burger)

    • Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association and Co-Founder of the Bar’s pro bono program - "Philadelphia VIP," 1986 (Presented by Justice William Brennan)

• Meritas Grahovac Award for Vision and Leadership, 2006

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

Books

• Author, Mediation Practice Guide: A Handbook for Resolving Business Disputes (Second Edition), published in 2003 by the American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution

• Author, Guía Práctica Para La Mediación (Spanish Edition of Mediation Practice Guide), published in 2003 by Centro Empresarial de Mediación y Arbitraje (Mediation and Arbitration Center of Buenos Aires)

• Co-author with Jack Foltz (former chair of American Corporate Counsel Association), Chapter on ADR in multi-volume series, Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel, published in Fall 2000 by West Group, Inc. and American Corporate Counsel Association

• Author, Mediation Practice Guide: A Handbook for Resolving Business Disputes (First Edition), published in 1998 by Pike and Fischer, Inc., a subsidiary of the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. and the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution

Articles

• "Preparation: The Key to Successful Outcomes in Mediation," Alternatives, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (February 2010)

• "The 10 Most Common Mistakes Made by Mediation Advocates," The Legal Intelligencer (April 19, 2007)

• "Navigating The Mediation Process: Overcoming Invisible Barriers to Resolution," Dispute Resolution Journal, American Arbitration Association (Vol. 61, No. 3, August-October 2006)

• "Strategies for Successful Mediation," Alternatives, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (June 2006), transcript of comments at CPR’s Annual Meeting

• "Experts Identify ADR Trends and Best Practices," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (January 2006)

• "EDR: Make the Investment, Reap the Rewards," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (August 2003)

• "How to Best Aid Negotiations by Breaking Down Barriers," Alternatives, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (December 2001)

• "Breaking Negotiation Barriers Through Mediation," The Legal Intelligencer (October 22, 2001)

• "Bennett G. Picker: A Professional ADR Practitioner Speaks," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (August 2000)

• "Negotiation vs. Litigation," The Philadelphia Business Journal (October 1999)

• "ADR: New Challenges, New Roles, New Opportunities," Temple Law Review (Vol. 72, No. 4, Winter 1999)

• "25 Practice Tips for Mediation," The Philadelphia Lawyer, PBA Quarterly Magazine (Vol. 59, No.4, Winter 1996)

• "Mediation: The Sleeping Giant of ADR” and “Innovative ADR - One Meridian Plaza Fire Litigation: A Study in Cooperative Litigation Management," (Course Materials of PBA/PICPA Sponsored Seminar, October 1995)

• "New Plan to Reduce Litigation Costs," Corporate Legal Times, (Vol. II, No. 13, December 1992)

• "Family Responsibility Policies for Law Firms," PLI Course Handbook Series No. 560 (1990)

• "Amend the Pennsylvania Constitution: Eliminate Partisan Judicial Elections," Philadelphia Business Journal (July 13, 1987)

• "Insider Trading: A Policymaking Priority for Directors," Directors & Boards, (Vol. II, No. 4, Summer 1987)

• "Partnership Agreements: Legal and Practical Considerations," PLI Course Handbook Series No. 520 (1989)

• Course materials for more than 50 presentations on ADR, mediation, arbitration and negotiations