Full time independent arbitrator, with more than 40 years experience as arbitrator in complex business and commercial disputes. Holly is also a Fellow in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and has served as sole arbitrator, chair and wing in hundreds of arbitrations throughout the United States, specializing in complex financial disputes. For more information, visit www.sollodadr.com.
Experience
Civil trial practice in New York and Colorado focused on complex commercial litigation, in state and federal courts, including class actions. Cases alleged claims of antitrust, breach of fiduciary duty, corporate governance, breach of contract, fraud, product liability, RICO, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Truth In Lending Act, insurance, consumer protection, business divorce, partnership and limited liability company disputes, licensing, international franchise agreements, cannabis operations, biotech, cryptocurrency, covenants not to compete, employment, lender liability, Fair Credit Reporting Act, cybersecurity, earn-out agreements, merger & acquisition disputes, and ERISA fee litigation. Primary areas of practice included: SECURITIES/FINANCIAL SERVICES: Represented clients in regulatory investigations into Ponzi schemes, the sale of annuities, insider trading, supervision, fraud, reverse mergers, accounting fraud issues and market timing. Frequently hired as counsel to audit committees in conducting internal corporate investigations, and as counsel to Special Litigation Committees. TECHNOLOGY/SOFTWARE/CRYPTOCURRENCY/CYBERSECURITY: Represented a variety of clients in class actions involved in diverse industries such as cryptocurrency, software development, artificial intelligence, biopharmaceuticals focused on oncology medication, global information technology consulting services, oil and natural gas development, IT cybersecurity software and consulting, multinational developer of quality control products/critical environments for pharmaceutical, healthcare, research, manufacturing, and service spaces, and cross-border money transfers. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: Represented owners, members, and investors of private and public companies, including partnership, limited liability companies, start-ups, in a wide range of disputes, including breach of fiduciary duty, bad faith, theft of trade secrets, breach of operating agreements, and disputed dissolutions in federal and state courts. INTERNATIONAL: Represented U.S. public company in cross-border dispute over non-payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) from marketing efforts in Spain; represented U.S. public company in attempted enforcement of foreign money judgment issued in Republic of Congo proceeding; represented U.S. client in $100 million dispute with Chinese company involving termination of Master Supply Agreement and Master Services Agreement for software and hardware; represented Singapore client in arbitration involving termination of franchise agreement by U.S. franchisor.
Work History
Holly Stein Sollod ADR LLC (2025- present); Senior Partner, Holland & Hart LLP (2023-2025); Partner, Holland & Hart LLP (1990- 2024); Associate, Holland & Hart LLP (1986-1989); Director of Arbitration and Disciplinary Hearings/Senior Attorney, The American Stock Exchange, Inc. (1984-1986); Litigation Associate, Townley & Updike, New York, New York (1981-1984).
Cases
Licensed in New York and Colorado. Arbitrator for AAA on numerous national panels, including the Large Complex Commercial Panel, Securities, Financial Services, Technology, Cannabis, and Mergers and Acquisitions/Joint Venture Panels. Active member of the AAA\" s International Panel (ICDR) and the CPR Institutue for Conflict Resolution. Experienced handling dispositive motions, discovery disputes, expedited and emergency remedies, reasoned awards and findings of fact and conclusions of law. Frequent chair and sole arbitrator in complex breach of contract disputes. Presided over hundreds of arbitrations as chair, sole arbitrator and as member of a panel in a wide variety of industries and subject matters, including the following: Cryptocurrency disputes, involving multiple parties asserting breach of contract, misrepresentations and fraud in connection with the sale of a business. Mining disputes involving reserves, royalties and misrepresentations to investors. Software and trade secret disputes involving breach of licensing agreement, royalties and patent rights arising out of sale of a technology business. Business divorce disputes involving multiple owners and interests in technology companies, resorts, healthcare, mining, and life sciences. Fraud and negligence claims asserted in lender liability arrangements, franchise agreements, vacation rentals, insurance coverage, indemnification, professional liability, receiverships, and Ponzi schemes. Proficient at deciding disputes unique to regulated sectors, such as financial services, banking and healthcare. Experienced arbitrator in securities industry disputes, including breach of shareholder services agreements, breach of stock purchase agreements and loan agreements, mergers and acquisitions issues, breach of fiduciary duty, federal securities laws and blue-sky issues. Recent Arbitrations: Sole arbitrator in ICDR arbitration involving Australian company\"s claims against U.S. advisors alleging breach of Consulting and Capital Markets Advisory Agreement alleging damages in excess of $3 million dollars. Sole arbitrator in dispute brought under the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (\"CPR\") Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration, involving termination of a Master Services Agreement involving software design and implementation. Sole arbitrator in AAA arbitration brought by ousted shareholder/director of Cloud Based Information Consulting Technology firm alleging breach of Shareholder Agreement, specific performance and seeking statutory Removal of Director under Colorado law. Counterclaims sought dissolution, breach of fiduciary duty, conversion, replevin and derivative relief. Wing arbitrator in AAA complex commercial arbitration alleging breach of intellectual property and restricted stock agreements in sale of crypto marketmaking algorithm. Sole arbitrator in AAA case brought by 15% owner/investor in cannabis dispensary operator LLC for breach of Operating Agreement and breach of the Oregon Securities Act. Sole arbitrator in AAA case among LLC members to decide rightful owner of interests in a resort, alleging fraudulent inducement, breach of Operating Agreement and expulsion under Wyoming LLC Act. Sole arbitrator in \"selling away\" AAA arbitration brought by former Major League baseball pitcher who invested in promissory note scheme. Investor sued the investment advisory firm for recommendations made to him by his investment advisor but not sponsored by his firm. Claims also were asserted by the Advisory firm against the advisor for breach of contract and indemnification under Arizona law. Sole arbitrator in AAA complex arbitration involving breach of shareholder services agreement, breach of stock purchase agreements and loan agreements, mergers and aaquisitions issues, breach of fiduciary duty, federal securities laws and blue-sky issues. Chair of AAA panel involving overcharges for sharheolder services provided to non-retirement accounts in mutual funds for which Claimant served as principal underwriter and distributor. Damages in excess of $15.5 million dollars. Sole arbitrator in AAA case involving $1.8 million dollar investment in conservation easements sold as tax shelters under California law. Sole arbitreator in AAA arbitration involving claims for breach of Advisor-Manager Agreement alleging Respondents\" failure to pay management fees due and owing, and breach of non-compete and confidentiality provisions of Adviser-Manager Agreement. Sole arbitrator in AAA arbitration involving $1.28 million dollar dispute brought by investors in conservation easements sold as tax shelters under California law.
Training
College of Commercial Arbitrators Annual CLE meetings, 2008-2025; AAA ACE annual requirements, ACE 2025- 2024; Core Arbitrator Training: ICDR International Symposia (ICDR Training), 2023; ACE 23 Panelist Safety & Security, 2023; ACE 22 Process Essentials for AAA arbitrators, 2022; ACE 21 Impartiality: Do You Know Where Your Biases Are?, 2021 ; ACE 20 Cyber Security: A Shared Responsibility, 2020; ACE19 Case Finances: What Arbitrators Need to Know, 2019; ACE 18 Arbitrator Performance and Demeanor ~ Meeting Participant Expectations, 2018; CCA 17th Annual Meeting, 2017; Dealing with Difficult Attorneys in Arbitration ACE13, 2016; AAA Arbitration Awards - Safeguarding, Deciding and Writing Awards ACE01, 2015; AAA Principled Deliberations, 2014;AAA Managing the Arbitration Process for Efficiency & Economy Following the Preliminary Hearing, 2012; College of Commercial Arbitrators Annual Meeting, 2011, 2010, 2008; FINRA, Revised Code of Arbitration, 2007; AAA Chairing an Arbitration Panel: Managing Procedures, Process & Dynamics ACE05, 2006, 2005; AAA Commercial Arbitrator II Training: Advanced Case Management Issues, 2004; AAA Arbitrator Update 2003; AAA Arbitrator I Training-Fundamentals of the Arbitration Process, 2002; Conflict Dispute Resolution Association, Mediator Training, 2002; NASD Chairperson Securities Training, 1996; various other ADR training.
License(s)
Admitted to the Bar: New York, 1982; Colorado, 1986; United States Supreme Court, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado; U.S. District Court Southern District of New York ; U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit and Ninth Circuit.
Education
Cornell University (BA) New York University School of Law (JD)
Publications
Speaking Engagement: \"Arbitration of Cryptocurrency Disputes,\" Panelist, 2024 ABA Business Section Spring Meeting, Orlando Florida. Colorado Faculty of Federal Advocates, Webinar Panel: Federal Arbitration: What You Need to Know, November 2022 \"From the Courtroom to the Zoom Room,\" Holland & Hart News Update, Co-Author, 05/01/2020 ; \"10th Circuit Affirms FINRA Arbitration Award—Adopts Face-of-the-Award Rule,\" Holland & Hart News Update, 04/15/2020
Awards
Best Law Firms© in America, Holly Stein Sollod ADR LLC (2026) Best Lawyers© in America, Commercial Litigation and Securities/Capital Markets (2013-2026) Best Lawyers© in America, International Arbitration-Commercial (2023-2026) Colorado Super Lawyers, Alternative Dispute Resolution (2024-2025) Colorado Super Lawyers, Securities Litigation and Capital Markets Law (2010-2025) Top 50 Women Lawyers in Colorado by Colorado Super Lawyers (2013-2014, 2020, 2022) Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating -Judicial Edition
Panels
American Arbitration Association (Large Complex Case Panel, Financial Services, Joint Venture/ Mergers & Acquisitions Panel, Technology Panel, Securities Panel, Consumer Panel and Cannabis Panel); International Centre for Dispute Resolution Panel (ICDR), International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) Panel of Distinguished Neutrals: Banking, Accounting and Financial Services Panels. Financial Industry Regulatory Association (FINRA), Non-Public, formerly known as NASD.
Associations
Fellow, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators (CCA) Member, National Association of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN) Lifetime Fellow, American Bar Foundation American Bar Association (Litigation, Dispute Resolution Section and Business Law Dispute Resolution Committee, Women in Dispute Resolution Committee)
Miscellaneous
Experienced in using online platforms, including Zoom, Loop Up and Meeting. Willing to conduct arbitration via videoconference or teleconference. Fully familiar with ESI issues through more than 40 years as trial lawyer practicing in state and federal court.
