JAMS Orange County Resolution Center Honored by OCCDL as a Top Legal Organization for DEI

Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is honored to announce that its Orange County Resolution Center has been recognized by the Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law (OCCDL) as one of the Top 10 Legal Organizations for DEI in Orange County for the second year in a row.

This award honors organizations that provide excellent legal services and work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the Orange County community. Nominations for this award are reviewed and selected by the OCCDL Board of Directors and OCCDL Professional Development Committee.

We are so honored to be again recognized by the OCCDL for our commitment and ongoing efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at JAMS. Our aim is to continue to prioritize DEI in a way that not only shapes our work, but helps support the broader legal industry. We recognize the powerful outcomes that can be achieved by bringing diverse voices together throughout the dispute resolution process, and it's rewarding to see so much enthusiasm in our organization to continue delivering industry-leading ADR services in Orange County.

- Gina Miller, JAMS senior vice president, U.S. West Region

JAMS was one of the first major ADR providers to take the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge and was the first to introduce an inclusion clause, which encourages parties to consider diversity when choosing an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators. The organization has also set a goal to increase the percentage of diverse neutrals by at least 50% by 2023. Currently, nearly half of JAMS’ top executives are women.

Prioritizing innovation and critical thinking in how we implement policies that support our DEI goals is critical to our mission at JAMS. We appreciate the OCCDL for recognizing our ongoing work, and we are proud to be working toward creating a more fair, equitable and representative environment in the industry.

- Mark Smalls, JAMS senior vice president, chief marketing officer and chair of the JAMS Diversity Committee

In 2021, JAMS introduced a reporting tool that tells clients how often they choose diverse neutrals, the JAMS Neutral Utilization Report. It was created to help spur more selections of diverse neutrals. Additionally in 2021, JAMS rolled out the “My Story” video series to help capture the unique careers, personalities and experiences of the organization’s panel of diverse neutrals.

The award will be presented by the OCCDL during a ceremony on September 29 that will honor the Top 10 Young Diverse Lawyers, Top 10 Champions of DEI in the Law and Top 10 Legal Organizations for DEI in Orange County.

About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.

Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. JAMS successfully resolves and manages business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized in-person, virtual and hybrid resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, the latest technology and highly trained mediators and arbitrators.

With a roster of over 400 neutrals and 29 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person, virtual or hybrid hearings.

More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and our JAMS ADR blog. To learn about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at JAMS, visit www.jamsadr.com/diversity/.