Academic/Professional Bio

I. Profession

Attorney and mediator. Bar admissions:

  • New York State Bar, 1st Department, 1983
  • United States District Court, SDNY, 1984
  • United States District Court, EDNY, 1984

II. Professional Organizations

  • Member Board of Directors, Federal Bar Association, 2013 – Present
  • President, Federal Bar Association SDNY Chapter, 2011 – 2012; previously President-Elect
  • Chair, Federal Bar Association, ADR Section
  • Fellow, Federal Bar Association, 2009 – Present
  • Member, Federal Bar Association National Council, 2006-present
  • Executive Committee Member, N.Y. State Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Section, 2008 – Present
  • House of Delegates Member, N.Y. State Bar Association, 2008 – Present (minus 1 year off)
  • Board Member, N.Y. State Bar Association’s Section Delegates Caucus, 2013 – Present
  • Founding Chair of the N.Y. State Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Section 2008-2009; Executive Committee Member 2009-present
  • Chair, ABA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, September 2008 – present.
  • Member Board of Governors, NYS Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Resolution, present
  • Past Chair, Joint Committee on Fee Disputes and Conciliation (of Association of the Bar of the City of New York, New York County Bar Association and Bronx County Bar Association), responsible, inter alia, for administering arbitrations or mediations of attorney-client fee disputes subject to 22 NYCRR, Part 137 of the Rules of the Chief Administrator, Office of Court Administration. 2002 – 2004.
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2004 – present
  • Committee on Committees, New York County Lawyers Association Committee (“NYCLA”), 2002-present, liaison to ADR Committee, Insurance and Health Law Committee, ad hoc NYCLA membership committee
  • Advisory Group member, Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee, New York State Unified Court System (OCA), 1999 – present
  • Advisory Group member, Supreme Court, State of New York, New York County Commercial Division ADR Advisory Group, 1997 – present
  • Subcommittee Chair, NYSBA ADR Committee on Delivery of ADR Services, 1998 – 1999.
  • Legislative Tracking Chair, American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Committee on ADR, 1994-1997
  • Charter Member, ABA, Dispute Resolution Section, Corporate Liaison Committee
  • Committee Chair, NYCLA, Committee on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution 1997-2000; previously CLE Chair 1995-1997;
  • Legislative Tracking Chair, NYCLA Environmental Law Committee, 1993-1996

III. Professional Experience:

I have practiced law for more than 30 years as a commercial and general
civil litigator. Having spent the first ten years of my legal career with various
firms, I commenced a dual practice as litigator and neutral party. I am
a principal of the firm of Simeon H. Baum, Esq., New York, New York
concentrating on business litigation.

Earlier Firms:

  • Miller Singer Raives & Brandes, reinsurance boutique that merged into what is now KMZ Rosenman (www.kmzr.com) (1989-92);
  • Certilman Haft Balin Buckley & Kremer (1986- 89)(acquired in late 1988 by Rivkin Radler Dunne and Bayh, then merger undone in summer 1989; several former members of litigation group now at Reed Smith);
  • Delson & Gordon (group now merged into Dorsey & Whitney)(1985-86);
  • Semel, Boeckman & Skydel (1983-85)

As a litigator, I have represented clients in a wide variety of areas, including complex commercial litigation, securities litigation, reinsurance matters, insurance industry matters, tort defense, employment disputes, unfair competition, intellectual property, real estate, coop/condo litigation, defamation, construction litigation, Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”), creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, business fraud, and partnership dissolution. As a litigator and a mediator, I have handled substantial eight figure disputes (mediator, over $1 billion at issue).

As President of Resolve Mediation Services, Inc. (http://www.disputeResolve .com), I have mediated over 2,000 disputes. I have been active since 1992 as a neutral in dispute resolution, assuming the roles of mediator, neutral evaluator and arbitrator in a variety of cases including mediation of the Studio Daniel Libeskind-Silverstein Properties dispute over architectural fees relating to the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site, and Trump’s $ 1 billion suit over the West Side Hudson River development.

I have served as a mediator or ADR neutral in a wide variety of matters involving claims concerning business disputes, partnership dissolutions or reorganizations; financial services, M&A, securities industry disputes, reinsurance and insurance coverage (first and third party claims), property damage and personal injury, malpractice, employment discrimination, ERISA benefits, accounting, civil rights, fair housing, real property, construction, surety bond defaults, unfair competition, fraud, bank fraud, bankruptcy, intellectual property (patents, trademarks, copyright), and a wide range of commercial claims.

IV. Mediation & Arbitration Panels:

  • American Arbitration Association – Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators;
  • CPR – International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution – Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Panels;
  • National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN)(founding NY Board Member)
  • United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York Mediation Panel;
  • United States District Courts for the Eastern Districts of New York Mediation and Early Neutral Evaluation Panels;
  • Commercial Division, New York State Supreme Court, New York, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties, ADR Panels;
  • New Jersey Superior Court, Civil Part, Statewide CDR Mediation Panel;
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York Mediation Panel;
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York Mediation Panel;
  • National Arbitration Forum (withdrew)
  • JUDICATE Mediation Panel (no longer active)
  • Joint Committee on Fee Disputes & Conciliation (NYCLA, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Bronx County Bar Association) Arbitration and Mediation Panels
  • NYS Supreme Court, New York County, Matrimonial Fee Dispute Panel, Part 136 Arbitrator
  • New York Civil Court, Small Claims Part, Arbitration and Mediation
  • New York Stock Exchange, Large Case Mandatory Mediation Panel (former SRO)
  • National Association of Securities Dealers Mediation Panel (former SRO)
  • FINRA – successor to NYSE and NASD – Mediation Panel
  • U.S. Postal Service REDRESS Panels and REDRESS II (Blue Ribbon Panel)
  • U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission pro bono and Contract Mediation Panels
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