Served as an arbitrator and mediator of the American Arbitration Association/ICDR for 45 years. CPR for over 15 years. Most of the cases involved complex technology, software or engineering disputes as well as IP, patent, copyright, and trademark and complex business disputes. Appointee to the Tech List of World\"s Leading Technology Neutrals, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Experience
Served as an arbitrator and mediator of the American Arbitration Association for 35 years. Most of the cases involved complex technology, software or engineering disputes. Though some were simply business contract or rate setting issue. Also serve as a mediator and arbitrator for CPR and ICDR for complex technology and software cases. Member of the Federal Panel of Neutrals for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Fifty years of experience as a civil litigation lawyer, focusing on providing legal advice and litigation ADR services to technology companies and other businesses facing engineering technology-related issues. Practice encompasses aspects of engineering design, software performance, intellectual property, trade secrets, and employee non compete issues, including buying, selling, developing, implementing, and licensing hardware, software and other technology. Also represents clients in litigating cases involving engineering design, avionics design, military equipment, computer software, polymers, electronics, optics, structures, mining systems and equipment, materials, antitrust, patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, contract, construction, employee non-compete agreements, environmental regulation, civil rights, zoning and real property matters and other complex business cases. Member of Litigation Practice Group and IP Practice Group. Time equally divided representing plaintiffs and defendants. Successful as defense attorney in nationally prominent case of U.S. v. Schafer (Kent State National Guard criminal trial) in 1974. Has appeared before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Federal Circuits and the U.S. Supreme Court. Chair of the Visiting Committee, Case School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University 1994-99. Member of the Case Advisory Board.
Work History
2017 - present - Independent arbitrator, 2017 - present - O f Counsel, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, 2008-2016, Partner, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP (successor by merger to Kahn Kleinman Co. LPA.),1979 -2008, Partner, Kahn Kleinman Co. LPA, 1971 -1979, Associate, Kahn, Kleinman, Yanowitz & Arnson.
Cases
Chemical vapor deposition license dispute Metal reprocessing dispute Enterprise Software implementation disputes Medical research disputes Software license, copyright, and patent disputes, Machine design disputes Chemistry, polymer, mineral supply, and metallurgy disputes based disputes Business contract disputes Construction disputes Aircraft engine failure dispute Multiple other technology or engineering based disputes Patent/business malpractice
Training
Coordinated and chaired panel at ADR Technology Conference in NY co-sponsored by ACCA, AAA/ICDR, Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center, and ITECH Law. Attended numerous AAA and ICDR training programs for both arbitration and mediation. Taught AAA ACE courses Regularly attended and presented at College of Commercial Arbitrators Annual Meetings Regularly attended AAA/ICDR Neutrals’ Conferences, Regularly CPR Annual Meeting and Seminars and presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting Attended ABA DR Section Annual Meeting and Seminars Presented at the ABA DR Annual Meeting chairing a panel on ADR in Technology and Innovation Cases Attended and presented at dozens of Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association CLE programs on ADR Numerous Court sponsored ADR training by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
License(s)
Admitted: Ohio United States Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, 10th, 11th and Federal Circuits U.S. Court of Claims Northern District of Ohio Southern District of Ohio Eastern District of Wisconsin
Education
B.S. Engineering, with high honors, Case Western Reserve University 1968 J.D. cum laude, Harvard Law School 1971
Publications
Diamant, Michael H., et al. “Arbitrating Technology Cases: Considerations for Businesspeople and Advocates.” ADR Advocacy, Strategies, and Practices for IP and Technology Cases. Ed. Harrie Samaras, Chicago: ABA, Section of Intellectual Property Law, 2017. pp, 359-418, Latest revised ed, Ed. Harrie Samaras & Theo Chang, 2026. \"Artificial Intelligence in Arbitration\" Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, July/August 2025, pp. 30-31. TECHNOLOGY MEDIATION, What’s the Problem?, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, July/August 2017. ADR in Technology and Applied Science Cases, A Better way, Dispute Resolution Journal, Volume 70, No. 1, p.p. 77-83, Effective ADR in Technology and Applied Science Cases, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, July/August 2014. Multiple local seminars regarding ADR generally and with regard to intellectual property and commercial contracts specifically. Speaker, ’Tips from Mediators,’ Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, January 10, 2012. Speaker: ’Effectively Representing Your client in Arbitration,’ Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, November 19, 2009; ’Using Mediation, Arbitration, or Other ADR Techniques to Assist in Settlement,’ Litigating Trademark, Domain Name and Unfair Competition Cases, ALI/ABA, October 19-20, 2006; ’Strategies for Mediation and Other Forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution,’ Litigating Trademark, Trade Dress, and Unfair Competition Cases, ALI/ABA, May 19-20, 2005; ’Strategies for Mediation and Other Forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution,’ Litigating Trademark, Trade Dress, and Unfair Competition Cases, ALI/ABA, April 22-23, 2004; ’Representing your Client Effectively in Mediation and Arbitration,’ Litigating Trademark, Trade Dress, and Unfair Competition Cases, ALI/ABA, January 3-4, 2002; ’Alternatives to Going to Trial, Settlement and ADR Methods,’ Litigating Trademark, Trade Dress, and Unfair Competition Cases, ALI/ABA, December, 7-8, 2000; ’Alternatives to Trial,’ Litigating Trademark, Trade Dress, and Unfair Competition Cases, ALI/ABA, November 18-19, 1999.
Awards
Best Lawyers in America 2006-2020, Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Mediation, ADR, Litigation Intellectual Property, International Arbitration Governmental,, 2013-2020 Super Lawyers, Business Litigation 2005-2019, Alternative Dispute Resolution 2020 100 Top Lawyers in Ohio 2012, 2013 50 Top Lawyers in Cleveland, 2012, 2013 Master Bencher, Judge John M. Manos Inn of Court
Panels
AAA, Commercial, Large Case Commercial, IP ICDR CPR SVAMC Chartered Institute
Associations
American Bar Association Ohio State Bar Association Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association The Tech List and Exec. Committee, Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
