Barbara A. Mentz
Dispute Resolution Section Treasurer
Barbara Mentz is a full-time arbitrator
and mediator. Ms. Mentz has served as a chair, co-arbitrator
and sole arbitrator of arbitration panels and as a mediator. She
has 37 years of experience as a litigator specializing in complex
litigation, business disputes and regulatory investigations. Ms. Mentz
retired from Deloitte LLP in 2007 where she was an Associate General
Counsel and Principal in the Office of General Counsel. During her
nineteen years at Deloitte, Ms. Mentz served as the lead attorney on
litigation related to Deloitte’s accounting and auditing practice
and regulatory investigations involving issues of alleged
violations of GAAS and GAAP, accountant’s liability, financial
fraud, securities law violations, breach of contract and negligence.
The matters involved public companies in industries such as
telecommunications, technology, banking, savings and loan associations,
financial services, manufacturing, franchising, retail, food services,
utilities and insurance. Prior to Deloitte, Ms. Mentz’ legal
experience included thirteen years of practice in law firms. She was a
litigation partner at Hall, McNichol, Hamilton & Clark and a
litigation associate at Sullivan & Cromwell.
Ms. Mentz is a Fellow in the Chartered
Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the panel of arbitrators of
several dispute resolution institutions including the American
Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Institute for Conflict
Prevention and Resolution
(CPR), the National Futures Association
(NFA), the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (FINRA) and on the arbitrator database of the U.S.
Council of International Business (for ICC International Court of
Arbitration). Ms. Mentz is a mediator for the New York
State Supreme Court, Commercial Division and the New Jersey State
Superior Court, Civil Division.
Ms. Mentz has served as an arbitrator
and a mediator on commercial matters, including disputes concerning
issues relating to accountant’s liability, professional
malpractice, tax matters, commercial contracts, mezzanine financing,
business transactions, fees for professional services, negligence, fraud
and claims against brokerage firms and brokers.
Ms. Mentz has published articles
and participated in panels on alternative dispute resolution
including: Applicability of the Supreme Court’s Decision
in Union Pacific Railroad Co. v. Brotherhood of
Locomotive and Trainmen to Step Clauses, New York Dispute
Resolution Lawyer, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring 2010); Step Clauses:
Obstacles to Enforceability, New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer,
Vol. 2, No.1 (Spring 2009); Panelist, "The 'Wahala* Factor: How to
Mediate a Problematic Real
Estate Dispute," Joint program of
the Dispute Resolution Section of the New York
State Bar Association and the Nigerian
Lawyers Association; Panelist-Beyond the Basic Arbitration Agreement:
Increasing the Speed and Efficiency of Commercial Arbitration,
Association of Corporate Counsel, October, 2008.
Ms. Mentz is a member of the Board of
Trustees of the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey, Inc. and a
member of its Audit and Ethics Committees.
Ms. Mentz is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey. She
graduated magna cum laude from the
University of Notre Dame Law School and received a Bachelor of Arts in
Economics from the University of Kansas.
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