Academy Member Inducted 2012

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Hon. Steven I. Platt (Ret.), Mediator & Arbitrator, Annapolis, Maryland.

Hon. Steven I. Platt (Ret.)

The Platt Group, Inc.
PO Box 6604
Annapolis, MD 21401
Tel: (410) 280-0908
Website: www.theplattgroup.com
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Recognized to Maryland Chapter for Mediation & Arbitration Other ADR Services: ADR Training/CME, Court-Appointed Neutral (Special Master), Discovery Referee, Early Neutral Evaluation, Facilitation & Systems Design, Fact Finding, Insurance Umpire, Med-Arb, Mini-Trial Judge
Video Conferencing
Available
  • Practice Commenced2007
  • # of MEDS (as of 28/3/24)1200
  • # of ARBS (as of 28/3/24)400
Current Practice
Online / In-Person

Biographical

Judge Steven I. Platt (Ret.) retired as a full-time Circuit Court Judge on January 15, 2007.  He has since been approved by the Court of Appeals to be recalled in all eight Circuits and the Court of Special Appeals to try cases and conduct Settlement Conferences as a Recalled Judge.  He is also engaged in Private Mediation, Arbitration and Neutral Case Evaluation of Complex Civil Litigation including Medical Malpractice cases, Legal Malpractice cases, Product Liability cases, Construction Litigation and Business Disputes as well as other civil cases, including multiple party Contract and Tort cases.

Judge Platt has been a member of the Bar for over 30 years. He was in private practice for 10 ½ years from 1976 to 1986 during which time he also served as a Judge of the Orphans Court.  He was appointed to the District Court for Prince Georges County in 1986 where he was designated Administrative Judge in 1988 and to the Circuit Court (7th Circuit) in 1990.  While a Circuit Court Judge, he had management responsibility for all "Complex Civil Non-Family Cases" in the Court, which included the supervision of all settlement conferencing, mediating and scheduling of these medical malpractice, legal malpractice, business litigation, and products liability cases.  He also presided over many of these cases.  He is the acknowledged architect of the Maryland Businesses Technology Case Management Program.  That Case Management Program has been cited as a model for the Nation in articles appearing in The Business Lawyer, a publication of the Section of Business Law of the American Bar Association, in Case In Point, the periodical of the National Judicial College, and in The Maryland Bar Journal. 

Judge Platt is a trained Mediator having completed the basic 40 hour course, as well as advanced courses.  He serves as a Panel Arbitrator and Mediator for the American Arbitration Association (AAA), International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), Resolute Systems (RS) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) as well as his own company, The Platt Group, Inc.  In addition, he has taught the use of mediation and arbitration in resolving Business Disputes to Judges and Lawyers both in Maryland and Nationally through both The Judicial Education Program of The American Enterprise Institute (AEI)/ Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, on whose Judicial Advisory Board he has served, and through The American College of Business Court Judges of which he is a past President.

 


Case Experience

  • ADA Disability
  • Anti-Trust
  • Appellate
  • Automotive
  • Banking & Finance
  • Bankruptcy/Creditors
  • Business Dissolution
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Actions
  • Commercial/Business
  • Community Associations
  • Condominiums
  • Construction
  • Consumer Fraud
  • Contract Disputes
  • Debt Collections
  • Discrimination
  • Divorce (High Asset)
  • Education
  • EEOC
  • Elder Abuse
  • Eminent Domain
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Family Businesses
  • Franchise
  • Health Care
  • Industrial
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International
  • Labor/Unions
  • Land Use/Planning
  • Landlord/Tenant
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Lemon Law
  • Libel & Slander
  • Local Govt./Municipalities
  • Medical Devices
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Non-profit Organizations
  • Nursing Homes
  • Partnerships
  • Personal Injury
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Police
  • Premises Liability
  • Probate
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Fees
  • Professional Liability
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Professional Negligence
  • Property Damage
  • Public Policy
  • Railroad & Trucking
  • Real Estate
  • Religious Institutions
  • Securities
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Shareholder Disputes
  • Sports
  • Taxation
  • Title Disputes
  • Torts
  • Transportation
  • Trusts / Estates
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Wrongful Death

Education

  • University of Virginia (BA, Government and Public Administration-1969)
  • American University, Washington College of Law (JD-1973)
  • AAA, “Arbitral Subpoenas: Questions Abound, Answers Can Be Found” (2016)
  • AAA, “Arbitration Law: Key Developments” (2016)
  • AAA, “E-Discovery – What Every Arbitrator Needs to Know” (2016)
  • AAA, “Motions! Sanctions! How to More Effectively Manage the Arbitration Process” (2016)
  • Pepperdine University School of Law – Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution “Conflict Resolution Consulting“, 2015
  • AAA, Advanced Mediator Training, 2010
  • Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence Ethics Class, 2009
  • MICPEL, “Effective Use of Mediation, Arbitration, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques in Commercial and Construction Disputes“, 2009
  • “AAA Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New Arbitrators“, 2008
  • Pepperdine University School of Law – Stratus Institute for Dispute Resolution, “Specialized Mediation – Business, Medical” Malpractice and Product Liability Disputes, 2007
  • MICPEL, Conflict Management – “Making Business Better“, 2007
  • MICPEL, “Advanced Mediation of Business Disputes“, 2004
  • MICPEL, “Civil Mediation Training“, 1998
  •  

Memberships & Affiliations

Judge, Circuit Court for Prince George’s County,Maryland (7th Judicial Circuit) (May 7, 1990-Date); Designated Supervising Judge, 7th Circuit Business/Technology Case Management Program (Jan. 2003 – Date); Designated Coordinating Judge, Criminal Operations (2001-2003); Designated Coordinating Judge, Family Division (1993-1997) .
Judge, District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County (5th Judicial District) (1986-1988); Designated Administrative Judge (1988-1990)
Judge, Orphans’ Court (Probate Court) for Prince George’s County, Maryland (1978-1985);Designated Chief Judge (1985-1986)
Private Practice of Law as Associate and Partner with Stern, Platt & Risner and Platt & Risner in Prince George’s County, Maryland (1976-1986)
Law Clerk for the Honorable Ernest A. Loveless, Jr., Chief Judge, Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland (7th Judicial Circuit) (1973-1975)
Administrative and Legal Assistant for Steny H. Hoyer, then Maryland State Senator, now U.S.Congressman (1972-1973)
Member, Judicial Advisory Board, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies Judicial Education Program (2004-2007).
Past President, American College of Business Court Judges (2005-2006).
Consultant, Court of Appeals of Maryland Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, Special Subcommittees on Alternative Dispute Resolution and General Administration (1997-Date) .
Consultant to Russian Judiciary (St. Petersburg / Leningrad Region) on Law School Development,Jury Trials, Arbitrazh Court Administration through Vermont Karelia Rule of Law Project, Inc. and Russian American Rule of Law Consortium (RAROLC). Traveled to Russia and there conducted Briefings, Presented Papers, and verbally consulted on these matters (2003 – Date).
Consultant to Iraqi Judiciary on the Role of the Judiciary in Resolving Commercial Disputes sponsored by the Judicial Development Institute Iraqi Higher Judicial Council & U.S. Department of Commerce & Dubai, U.A.E. Courts.
Consultant to Women Judges’ Fund for Justice on “Family Violence and the Courts: Exploring Expert Testimony on Battered Women.” Participated in Roundtable Discussion of Nationally Recognized Experts sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Justice in Washington, D.C. and Submitted Paper (May 1995).

Chairman, Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland Strategic Planning Committee (1995-2007) Faculty, Maryland Judicial Institute (1995-Date).Member, Maryland Judicial Conference & Committees:
Judicial Administration (1987-1990), Chairman (1989-1990)
Special Committee on Collection of Child Support, Chairman (1991-1992)
Long-range Planning (1990-1991)
Criminal Law Committee (1993-1995)
Mental Health, Alcoholism and Addiction (1990-1991)
Public Awareness (1995-97)
Drug Treatment Court Commission (2001-2003)Member, Administrative Judges’ Committee of District Court of Maryland (1988-1990) .Member, American Judicature Society (1975-Date).

Member, Judicial Advisory Board AEI-Brookings Judicial Education Program (2004-2007).

Member, Maryland Executive Committee of National Association of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN), 2015-PresentLife Fellow, The American Bar FoundationLife Fellow, The Maryland Bar FoundationCharter Fellow, The Law Foundation of Prince George’s County (1991-present), Member, Board of Directors (1995-97).Faculty, Maryland State Bar Association Mandatory Course on “Professionalism”

Member, Maryland State Bar Association (1976-Date) Board of Governors (1988-1990) Section Council, Section of Judicial Administration (1989-1996); Chair (1996-98) Co-Chair, Special Committee on Judicial Personnel Management Issues (1995-97; Report issued 1998. Special Committee on Governance (1990) Committee on Laws (1986-Date) Litigation Section (1986-Date) Chair, Special Committee to Study Methods of Initiating Criminal Process in Maryland (1998-2000)

Member and Past President, Prince George’s County Bar Association (1976-Date).Member, American Bar Association (1976-Date).

Master of the Bench, Marlborough Inns of Court (1988- Date), Administrator (1990-1991), Treasurer/ Counselor (1991-1992), President (1992-1994). Member, Southern Maryland Inn of Court (2013 – Present), Member, James C. Cawood Inn of Court (2015-Present)

Member, Board of Directors, Prince George’s Law Library Educational Fund, Inc. (1988-1990).Member, Board of Trustees, Montgomery-Prince George’s Continuing Legal Education Institute (1988-1989).Member, National Conference of Bar Presidents (1987-1989).Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America (1975-1986).

Member, Delta Theta Phi National Legal Fraternity (1974-Date).

Member, Governor’s Commission to Reform Maryland Pre-Trial System (2014)
Chairman, Conference of Circuit Judges Business Technology Case Management Program Designated Judge  and Implementation Committee – (2001 – 2007).
Vice-Chairman, Business and Technology Division Task Force created by the Maryland General Assembly (Report issued December 1, 2000).
Member, Prince George’s County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (1997- 2001).
Member, Attorney General’s Advisory Council on the Family Law Legal Needs of Low-Income Persons (1991).
Chairman and Initial Convener, Prince George’s County Domestic Violence Coordinating Group (1987-1989) .
Chairman, Prince George’s County Council Labor Law Revision Task Force (1981).
Chairman, Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission (1977-1978).
Mentor, Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission Leadership Development Forum (1986-Date).
Member, Adoption Advisory Committee, Prince George’s County Department of Social Services (1977-1979).
 
 
“INNOVATOR OF YEAR AWARD,” Daily Record Legal and Business Newspaper (2003).
“LEADERSHIP IN LAW AWARD,” Daily Record Legal and Business Newspaper (2001).
“DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD,” Washington College of Law, American University (1999);
“BEST OF THE BENCH, Listed as on of the Best Judges in Washington, D. C. Metropolitan area in an ” Article in Washingtonian Magazine, Volume 31, Number 12, September 1996 edition;

“CONFLICT RESOLUTION AWARD” of Prince George’s County Chapter National Conference (of Christians and Jews)(1995);“DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO JUDICIARY AWARD,” Philippine Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington (1991);“CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION,” Prince George’s County Chapter Business & Professional Women (1984);“CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION,” Lions Club (1983);“CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION,” Kiwanis Club (1983);
Selected to appear in WHO’S WHO IN WASHINGTON (1982-Date);
Selected to appear in WHO’S WHO IN LAW (1987-Date);
Regional Board of Directors Prince George’s United Way (1979-1980)


Rates Information

$400 / hr for services

$200/hr travel plus expenses

 

 

Academy Members Only