Biography
Since wrapping up his litigation practice, Jonah Orlofsky has mediated and arbitrated over 500 cases in a broad spectrum of areas, including insurance coverage disputes, class actions, breach of contract, ERISA, securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, real estate disputes, employment matters, attorney-client disputes, consumer disputes, family law matters and intra-organization conflicts. He serves on mediation panels for the following organizations: American Arbitration Association, FINRA, Center for Conflict Resolution, Kane County Child Protection Program, Cook, Kane and Lake county courtrooms, and Lawyers for the Creative Arts. He has also lectured and written extensively on topics relating to mediation.
Mediation Training
American Institute of Mediation, Impasse Is A Fallacy: A 2-Day Advanced Mediator’s Forum
Illinois State Bar Association, 40-hour Mediator Training
Center for Conflict Resolution, Foreclosure Mediation Training
Center for Conflict Resolution, Mediation Mentorship Program
Circuit Court of Cook County, Securities Arbitration and Mediation Seminar
DePaul Center for Dispute Resolution, Mediation Training
Association of Attorney Mediators, Advanced Mediation Training
Center for Conflict Resolution, Parenting Agreement Dispute training
Kane County Child Protection Program training
Arbitration Training
American Arbitration Association two-day training
FINRA arbitration training
Circuit Court of Cook County commercial arbitration training
Mediation Publications
What To Do When Parties Attribute Bad Faith Motives To Each Other, www. mediate.com, November 2020.
Unsettled Settlements: Understanding Mediation Agreements, Illinois State Bar Journal, August 2013
Making Sure a Mediated Settlement Is Binding, Chicago Bar Association, CBA Record, July/August 2014
What law governs the mediation privilege in federal cases?, Illinois State Bar Association, In the Alternative, May 2014
Volunteer Organizations
Lawyers for the Creative Arts, volunteer mediator
Center for Conflict Resolution, volunteer mediator
Speaking, Teaching and Awards
Association for Conflict Resolution, Recent Case Law on Mediation Update (2019)
Association of Attorney Mediators, What to Do When A Party Lacks the Capacity to Mediate (2018)
Center for Conflict Resolution: Mediation by Videoconference (2018)
Circuit Court of Cook County Alternative Dispute Resolution Seminar, “Pre-Mediation Agreements,” November 8, 2012
Chicago Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, “Should Your Firm’s Engagement Letter Contain an ADR Clause? – Use of Arbitration and Mediation for Legal Services Disputes,” May 3, 2012
Association of Attorney Mediators, “Mediation Contracts,” September 11, 2011
Frequent guest lecturer, John Marshall Law School
Center for Conflict Resolution: Mediation coach
Center for Conflict Resolution: Mediation Mentorship program
Northwestern University School of Professional Training: Mediation coach
Center for Conflict Resolution: Peacemaker of the Year (2019)
Center for Conflict Resolution: Trainer of the Year (2019)
Hobbies
Avid jazz pianist