Experienced mediator, arbitrator, negotiator, conciliator, case risk evaluator with over 30 years of court experience

background 
Practicing Attorney, Mediator and Arbitrator
Retired: N.C. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Chief District Court Judge; Prosecutor

address
Chase Saunders
319 S. Sharon Amity Rd. Box 6
Charlotte, North Carolina 28211

contact
Cell Phone: 704-560-0039
Email: chase@chasesaunders.com

education
College Prep: Eastover Elementary; Alexander Graham Junior High, Myers Park High School
College: 1969 The University of North Carolina; BA in History-English
Graduate: 1972 The University of North Carolina; JD in Law
Post Graduate: 1980 Central Piedmont Community College; AA in Accounting

employment history
2000 The McNair Law Firm, P.A.
1999 Dozier Miller Pollard & Murphy in OF COUNSEL position
1998-1999 Principal in Chasemediates a mediation-arbitration service
1997 appointed Emergency Superior Court Judge
1997 retired as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge 26th Judicial District
1984 elected and 1994 re-elected to the Superior Court Bench
1982 appointed Superior Court Judge by Governor James B. Hunt
1977 appointed Chief District Court Judge by Justice Susie Sharp
1976 elected and 1980 re-elected District Court Judge
1972-1976 appointed Assistant District Attorney by Thomas F. Moore, Jr.

employment experience
current litigation:
general civil business practice including commercial,
contract, construction, employment, condemnation, collection, insurance
defense, equitable distribution, partition, and real estate matters

jury litigation:
In the North Carolina courts: Civil; including the trial of 
personal injury and wrongful death, medical and legal negligence, 
contract, real estate, wills, employment, and domestic matters; criminal;
including death penalty cases; condemnation, non-compete covenants. Initiated the use of summary jury trials as a case settlement method.

non-jury litigation:
(arbitration equivalent) for twenty years in the State court system in the District and Superior Court Divisions. Last CLE program: 1996 ABA Arbitration - Mediation Conference in Charlotte.

alternative dispute training
2002 AAA Arbitrator II Training
2001 NASD Chairperson Certification
2001 N.C. Industrial Commission Mediation Certification renewal
2001 N.C. Certified Mediator Certification renewal
2001 EEOC Mediation Certification 
1997 NASD Panelist Certification
1997 N.C. Department of Public Instruction Arbitrator Certification
1996 AAA Commercial Arbitration Certification

mediation/valuation:
Mediated shareholder, software, employment, medical malpractice, ERISA, copyright infringement, health care provider patient disputes, collection, construction, property damage, estates, technology auditing, website, robotic welders, photo-processing equipment, catastrophic personal injury cases, homeowner association disputes, governmental, environmental, franchises, stucco, trademark and patent, wrongful death, non-competition agreements, business breakups, broker-customer NASD securities issues, etc. involving multiple parties and complex issues for State and Federal Court. I mediate over 150 cases per year.

mediation consultation with academic institutions:
Engaged by universities to consult on faculty and town and gown disputes in 2000 and 2001 with the design of dispute resolution systems. Mediation of faculty peer to peer matters.

technology mediation/arbitration:
Mediated and arbitrated software and hardware, copyright, trademark, and installation disputes.

medical mediation/arbitration:
Mediated, arbitrated, or presided over zero to six figure+ cases involving physicians, opticians, hospitals, medical service and product suppliers. Extensive personal injury evaluation mediation experience involving body parts, percentages of disability, and pain and suffering. Handled over 500 personal injury cases including medical malpractice in my 29 year legal career. Medical malpractice cases include misdiagnosis of eye conditions, radial keratotomy , breast cancer, arteriograms, foreign objects, and wrongful death arising from improper medication, etc. 


arbitration: 
Served on construction, UM/UIM automobile liability and damages, personal injury, construction, common carrier, buy-sell agreements, CERCLA, medical malpractice, public school employee removal, securities, efficiency studies, license agreements, fire loss cases, medical industry hospital and product disputes, hotel industry disputes, NASD securities disputes in both an individual and multi-panel arbitrator capacities. 
Represented clients in commercial arbitration cases.

technology involvement
1. Computer Mediation and Arbitration practice 1997-2001
a. hardware mediation: software management of machinery
b. software mediation: systems design for specialized services
c. website rights
d. patents; service marks, trademarks, copyright
2. Website Concept, Design, Ongoing Development
a. Mecklenburg County Courts website URL: meckbar.org
b. Charlotte Rotary URL: charrotary.org
c. Health care company URL: healthgram.com
d. N.C. Bar Association: URL :barlinc.org/ ncbar.org
e. Art school URL: carolynsart.com
f. Historical Association URL: meckbar.org
3. Information Delivery Systems
a. Evidence Navigator , an electronic evidence book
b. N.C. Bar Association Technology Committee 
c. N.C. Courts Technology Advisory Committee 2000
5. General Tech activities
a. N.C.B.A. Technology Section 1999 Annual Meeting
b. N.C. Computer Law and the Internet: August 1999 Seminar
c. Charlotte Chamber of Commerce IT Committee 2001

· Author of 1996, 1997 Criminal Law Update on disks with 
  Federal Judge Carl Horn
· Laptop computer use and Word proficiency


management
chief district court judge:
responsible for scheduling, supervising, training, and managing ten judges; twenty-one trial and warrant-issuing Magistrates; one secretary; prepared training manuals; coordinated court-related agency
operations; introduced tort case settlement data collection.
(1977-1982)

senior resident superior court judge:
responsible for training and hiring judicial legal assistants; introducing standards for correspondence disposition; initiated interagency staff caseload meetings; developed and introduced an automated case management system; completed implementation of pretrial case mediation rules; supervised and coordinated activities of a trial court administrator and staff; scheduled and coordinated activities of six, circuit riding Superior Court Judges; regularly worked with the Institute
of Government at Chapel Hill, the Administrative Office of the Courts,
the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the
County Commission on court-related administrative initiatives. 
Promoted JUROR APPRECIATION DAY as a day of recognition
for jurors at the local and state levels. Developed and implemented
a courthouse security system and monitoring committee. Initiated 
and developed the Special School Probation terms and conditions
of probation to be implemented by way of a newly-created Court
Liason position. Initiated the implementation of a LAN system to
facilitate interagency communication. Initiated a breakfast for local
Legislators. Promoted use of jury management software package.

current professional activities
North Carolina State Bar 
North Carolina Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section
North Carolina Bar Association Healthcare Section
North Carolina Bar Association Technology Committee
American Inns of Court - Justice Bobbitt Inn, President 2001-2002
American Bar Association 2001
Notary Public 1999

current civic activities and memberships
Myers Park Presbyterian Church
Charlotte City Club 
UNC Alumni Association: Davie Dinner Planning Committee
Mecklenburg Carolina Club
YMCA Community Planning Committee 2000
Charlotte Swim and Racquet Club
Mecklenburg Historical Association
Charlotte Rotary Club and Internet Committee

recognition
1999: Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Award
1997: N.C. Superior Court Judicial Education Committee Award
1996: N.C. Courts Technology Award
1996: Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine
1991: City-County Bond Committee certificate
1979: Mecklenburg County Jaycees Man of the Year
1977: Boy Scouts of America District Distinquished Service Award
1976: Charlotte Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Men

faculty and speaking experience
2002: “Arbitration…It’s Popping Up Everywhere”, NCATL Seminar
1999 “Mediation for Young Lawyers” MCB seminar (Nov.)
1999 “Understanding the Internet”; presentation to the FUNB CIC Dept. (Oct)
1999 “Introduction to Conservation Easements” MCB October seminar (Oct)
1999 “View from the Bench”; MCB litigation seminar speaker (May)
1999 ”INTERNET CIVICS”: the internet and government; Civitan, Rotary
1999 “Internet Applications for the Paralegal”; N.C. Paralegal Assn.
1998 Mediation Mistakes: North Carolina Trial Lawyers May 1998 seminar
1998 Myers Park High National Honor Society Award Ceremony speaker
1998 Mediation Do’s and Don’ts: Mecklenburg Bar February 1998 seminar
1997 Criminal Law Update Seminar with U.S. Magistrate Carl Horn
1997 Superior Court Judicial Conference: disc technology update training 
1996 NCATL : “Do’s and Don’ts for Plaintiff’s Attorneys: Judicial View” 
1996 Fourth Circuit - N. C. Annual Criminal Law - Technology Review
1996 MCB-CLE speaker: “Mediation in the Real World: Judicial Perspective”
1984-1997: Program Chair and speaker responsible for planning and
presenting three, mandatory judicial conferences for the Superior
Judges of North Carolina
1988-present: presenter on topics including evidence, injunctions, non-
compete covenants, capital case management, negotiation, and
jury-assisted settlement trials
1993: N.C.B.A. panelist on legal education
1993: Presenter on evidence at Prof. Ronald Price’s evidence seminar
1993: Presenter on evidence at Prof. Walter Blakey’s evidence seminar
1992: Presenter at the N.C. Paralegal Annual Conference
1988-present: Presenter on ethics to new bar admittees
1989: Presenter on tort case evaluation
1988-1992: Presenter to Fourth Division bar on evidence
1984: Practicing Law Institute seminar faculty
1974-1976: Business Law Instructor: Central Piedmont Community College in
business law contracts and negotiable instruments

mediation newsletter
Mediation and Arbitration News for Litigators ©2001 Chase Saunders chase@chasesaunders.com