Robert Alston
Arbitrator and Attorney - Business, Corporate, Employment, Technology, Real Estate at Friedman, Schuman, Applebaum & Nemeroff, P.C.
Over 40 years of civil trial experience in private arbitrations and state and federal courts. Cases primarily involve technology, employment, Mergers and Acquisitions, real estate, Insurance and business matters...
Experience
Experience: Over 40 years of civil trial experience in private arbitrations and state and federal courts. Cases primarily involve technology, employment, Mergers and Acquisitions, Insurance real estate and business matters. Extensive experience as counsel in various technology performance issues. Practice includes employment law, representing employee/plaintiffs and employers in various employment contract, age discrimination, and sexual harassment disputes. For approximately 10 years, regularly represented insurers and individuals in disputes with insurers, businesses, and employers and still periodically undertakes such cases for regular clients.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience: Trial counsel and sole and panelist private arbitrator in approximately half a dozen cases every year, including product performance, technology issues; employment; general corporate; M&A; casualty insurance and real estate issues. Disputes range in value up to hundreds of millions.
Work History
Principal, Friedman- Schuman, 2017-present; Judge Pro Tem, Commerce Court & Major Civil Jury list-1st Judicial District-PA, 2016-present; Of Counsel, Lamb McErlane PC, 2007-2016; Partner, Schumacker and Lunkenheimer, 1995-2007; Outside General Counsel to six-state National Auto Parts distributor, 2005-2013; Assistant General Counsel: Litigation, Fortune 500 IT Company, 1984-94; Senior Associate, Large Suburban Philadelphia Firm, 1980-84; Marketing Division Counsel and M & A Team Counsel, Fortune 500 IT Company, 1976-80; Associate, Business and Litigation Departments, Largest Firm in Central Pennsylvania, 1974-76; Field Claim Investigator, Major Casualty Insurer, 1970-71.
Training
Alternative Dispute Resolution Training; College of Commercial Arbitrators Annual Fellows Meeting and Seminar, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2015; Annual ICDR, The International Arbitration’s Deliberations and Determinations AAA Neutrals Conference; AAA Arbitrator Annual Updates on Employment Arbitrator II Training: Advanced Case Management Issues; AAA Commercial Arbitrator Training; AAA Employment Arbitrator Training speaker; Delaware Valley Corporate Counsel Association presenter on Private Arbitration Techniques; Pennsylvania Bar Institute: Presenter on Commercial Arbitration; AAA Large Complex Case Panel Training; AAA Advanced Arbitrator Training; Certificated in Mediation & Advanced Mediation, Center for Dispute Resolution; various other ADR training.
License(s)
Professional Licenses: Admitted to the Bar: Pennsylvania, 1974; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1976; U.S. Supreme Court, 1998; U.S. Tax Court, 1979; Third Circuit, 1982.
Education
Villanova University (BA, Honors Program); University of Pittsburgh (JD, cum laude); Temple University School of Law (LL.M., Taxation).
Publications
Property Law Survey,UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH LAW REVIEW
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: Presentations for the American Arbitration Association, Pennsylvania Bar Institute and Delaware Valley Corporate Counsel Association on Arbitration Practice.
Associations
Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators; Judge Pro Tem First Judicial District’s Commerce (B2B cases) Court; Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals; Computer Law Association; Chester & Montgomery Bar Associations (Corporate Counsel; ADR Committee, Past Chair); American Bar Association (Litigation Section, Arbitration Committee); Pennsylvania Bar Association (Corporate and Business & ADR Committees); Delaware Valley Corporate Counsel Association (Past Board Member).
Elected home municipality’s Board of Supervisors & its Finance & Pension Committees, Board Member and Past President of Local Chamber of Commerce