Temperament and experience key for Ernst’s neutral practice

While legal experience – especially in a particular industry or area of the law – is an important factor in selection of an ADR professional, Christopher Ernst of admits that temperament can be just as important.

“A good neutral needs to have patience and understanding,” says Christopher.

He recounts a case he was mediating where one of the parties repeatedly threatened to leave, even going so far as to get up and put his coat on during the mediation conference. “By remaining patient and listening to his concerns, I was able to get him to refocus on settling the dispute,” Christopher says.

Christopher is the head of Bricker & Eckler’s ADR services group, which focuses on providing mediators, arbitrators and experienced neutrals. He has received training from the Supreme Court of Ohio and the American Arbitration Association. His neutral work is primarily in the areas of business disputes and tort actions. He has served as an arbitrator for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas since 1993 and as a private arbitrator since 2008. He has been appointed by various courts as a mediator in breach of contract litigation, fiduciary duty litigation and other matters.

“I help businesses in dispute to productively resolve their issues in a forthright and expedient way,” he says.

Christopher is a partner in Bricker & Eckler’s Cleveland office. He can be reached at 216.523.5472 or cernst@bricker.com.