ADR Services

Knox Law is pleased to offer alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services including mediation, early neutral evaluation, and arbitration.

All three services offer cost-effective and efficient alternatives to traditional litigation.

Knox Law’s group of trained and certified attorneys, led by former Judge Andrew F. Szefi (ret.), is committed to providing the highest quality and most cost-effective means for parties to resolve legal disputes. Judge Szefi brings a fresh and current perspective to the dispute resolution process, having served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County from July 2022 through December 2023. He conciliated hundreds of civil cases and presided over jury and non-jury trials. Judge Szefi is available in-person and remote, in both federal and state courts.

Our ADR professionals are experienced in assisting parties in evaluating and resolving disputes encompassing a broad range of civil law areas including, but not limited to, disputes concerning:

• Labor and employment matters
• Business matters
• Civil rights
• Products liability
• Contracts
• Construction
• Personal injuries
• Insurance coverage
• Intellectual property
• Bankruptcy
• Medical malpractice
• Sports and entertainment
• And more

Our Offices

We maintain offices in Erie and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Jamestown, New York. We are prepared and outfitted to offer comfortable, convenient meeting spaces with complimentary Wi-Fi, food and beverages, and office supplies as needed.

Our Neutrals

Each of our ADR professionals is certified to provide mediation services in the Western District of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and beyond. They are prepared to offer these services for complex, class action, and other matters critical to you or your clients on a nationwide basis.

Hon. Andrew F. Szefi (ret.)

Hon. Sean J. McLaughlin (ret.)

Guy C. Fustine

Neal R. Devlin

Please contact our office at 814-459-2800 or adr@kmgslaw.com for more information.

ADR Services - Defined

With Mediation Services, the parties to a lawsuit meet privately with a neutral third-party (mediator) in an effort to settle the case. The mediator facilitates the negotiation of a voluntary resolution to the case – their decision is not binding to either party; rather they help the parties resolve the issue themselves.

In Early Neutral Evaluation, an informal presentation is made by the disputing parties to a qualified neutral who will provide an oral or written evaluation or assessment regarding the parties' positions. The evaluation may be binding or non-binding, and often assists the parties as they move forward with another dispute resolution format or litigation.

Arbitration Services are similar to mediation services; however, the neutral third party’s (arbitrator’s) decision is final and binding. The parties involved agree to be bound by the decision ahead of time. Arbitration, while still less involved than traditional litigation, is often more involved and time-consuming than mediation.