Nancy Lesser

Nancy Lesser is the principal of Pax ADR, a dispute resolution practice headquartered in Washington, D.C. specializing in mediation and arbitration of complex commercial disputes.

Experience

Nancy Lesser is the principal of Pax ADR LLC, a dispute resolution firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. Ms. Lesser brings to her mediation and arbitration practice skills honed over twenty years of service as a neutral. Prior to establishing her own firm, she was a partner with the distinguished law firm of Williams & Connolly, where she specialized in complex commercial cases.

Ms. Lesser has handled hundreds of challenging disputes as a mediator and arbitrator. Ms. Lesser works with Fortune 500 companies, federal and state agencies, small businesses, and individuals. She also conducts independent fact-finding and internal investigations. Ms. Lesser has mediated and arbitrated government and private contract claims, insurance coverage disputes, whistleblower claims, including False Claims Act and Sarbanes Oxley actions, securities cases, including FINRA proceedings and SEC enforcement actions, intellectual property claims, including patent, copyright and software licensing issues, securities and consumer class actions and shareholder suits, and personal injury claims, including medical, legal and accounting malpractice actions.

Work History

Founder and Principal, PAX ADR LLC, Washington, DC 2001-present

Alternative dispute resolution firm providing arbitration, mediation, and internal investigation services.

Senior Counsel to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC 2000-2001

Legal advisor to Secretary; spearheaded major Secretarial policy initiatives, including fair housing enforcement, predatory lending, subsidized housing, historic preservation and community development.

Partner, Williams & Connolly, Washington, DC 1990-2000 (associate, 1982-1990)

Nationwide trial and appellate practice focusing on complex cases in federal and state courts. Cases handled included securities fraud class actions, corporate governance disputes, employment cases, intellectual property claims, and medical, legal and accounting malpractice claims. Conducted internal investigations involving banking fraud and securities violations. Served on Executive Committee of the firm from 1996-2000; chair of firm’s Diversity Committee from 1994-1996.

Associate, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, New York, NY 1981-1982

Litigation associate

Cases

Ms. Lesser has handled hundreds of commercial arbitrations involving multi-million dollar claims. She has served as chair of a number of panels and has also served as sole arbitrator in other matters. Ms. Lesser has a broad range of arbitration experience, from contract and securities cases to intellectual property disputes and insurance coverage claims. She has presided over a number of utility ratemaking cases; an audit of alleged overcharges by an electrical utility to a major municipality; accounting disputes regarding post-acquisition closing balance sheets; breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims between joint venture partners; breach of contract actions between suppliers and customers for services or goods; and data compensation proceedings under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. She serves as Standing Chair of the National Arbitration Panel, hearing disputes between Amtrak and the freight railroads.

Training

Faculty, AAA Webinar, Ethics 101: Mediators, Arbitrators, Attorneys, 2012; AAA/ICDR Neutrals Conference, 2012; Faculty, AAA Webinar, Ethics 101: Mediators, Arbitrators, Attorneys, 2011; ABA National Institute on E-Discovery, 2010; AAA Faculty, Advanced Mediator Training, 2010; Faculty, International Law Institute, Mediation Training, 2010, 2011, 2012; AAA/ICDR Neutrals Conference, 2009, 2011; Faculty, Georgetown University Law Center, Negotiation and Mediation seminars, 2002-2012; Faculty, International Trademark Association, Advanced Mediation Training, 2007; AAA Arbitrator I Training-Fundamentals of the Arbitration Process, 2002; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Employment Law and ADR, 1997; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Mediator Training, 1994.

License(s)

Admitted to the Bar: New York, 1981; District of Columbia, 1982.

Education

Founder and Principal, PAX ADR LLC, Washington, DC 2001-present

Alternative dispute resolution firm providing arbitration, mediation, and internal investigation services.

Senior Counsel to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC 2000-2001

Legal advisor to Secretary; spearheaded major Secretarial policy initiatives, including fair housing enforcement, predatory lending, subsidized housing, historic preservation and community development.

Partner, Williams & Connolly, Washington, DC 1990-2000 (associate, 1982-1990)

Nationwide trial and appellate practice focusing on complex cases in federal and state courts. Cases handled included securities fraud class actions, corporate governance disputes, employment cases, intellectual property claims, and medical, legal and accounting malpractice claims. Conducted internal investigations involving banking fraud and securities violations. Served on Executive Committee of the firm from 1996-2000; chair of firm’s Diversity Committee from 1994-1996.

Associate, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, New York, NY 1981-1982

Publications

Ten Ways to Use Mediation to Assess Risk More Effectively
Dispute Resolution Journal, vol. 66, no. , August-October 2011.

Committee Issues Opinions on Mediator Conduct
Dispute Resolution Magazine, ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, Vol. 17, Number 1, Fall 2010

Mediation Ethics: A Need for Guidance Now Met
Conflict Management, ABA Section of Litigation Newsletter, Summer 2007, Volume 11, Issue 2

How Much Confidentiality Does the UMA Provide?
National Law Journal, April 11, 2005

Awards

Named “Best Individual Mediator” in the Legal Times survey of Washington ADR providers, and Washingtonian List of Best Mediators last two years.

Panels

Chair of the Amtrak National Arbitration Panel, which hears disputes between Amtrak and the freight railroads nationwide.
Panel member, Large Complex Case Arbitration and Mediation Panel, American Arbitration Association.
Panel of Distinguished Neutrals for the Commercial, Employment, and Banking, Accounting and Financial Services Panels of the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.
Mediation panels, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland.

Associations

Ms. Lesser is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators. She was past chair of the Ethical Guidance Committee of the Section of Dispute Resolution of the American Bar Association. She serves as mediation trainer for the U.S. Department of Justice, the International Trademark Association, and the International Law Institute. She speaks frequently on panels and to private groups.

Miscellaneous

for more information, including a full bio, please see: www.paxadr.com.