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Bette J. Roth

Attorney Profile

Top Rated Alternative Dispute Resolution Attorney in Newton, MA

Mediator - Arbitrator
Box One
Newton, MA 02461
Visit: https://www.rothadr.com
Phone: 617-795-2425
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2006 - 2017
Licensed in Massachusetts Since: 1985
Practice Areas: Alternative Dispute Resolution
Languages Spoken: English, French
Attorney Profile

Bette Roth is a full-time mediator and arbitrator, and has handled more than 1,500 cases involving a wide range of employment, commercial, securities, construction, and real estate disputes. In mediation, she has helped her clients settle their cases at a rate exceeding 94 percent. She has also served as chairperson or sole arbitrator in at least 350 arbitrations. Prior to 1992, Ms. Roth was a trial lawyer for several years in private practice in San Francisco, and prior to that she was an enforcement attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  

Among other organizations, Ms. Roth mediates and arbitrates with American Arbitration Association (AAA), CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, and the Real Estate Bar Association (REBA).  She is certified as a mediator by the International Mediation Institute in The Hague.

Ms. Roth has spoken extensively on mediation and arbitration for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), the Boston Bar Association (BBA), where she served as co-chair of the ADR Committee of the Litigation Section, the American Bar Association (ABA) and the American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), and she has trained arbitrators through MCLE and mediators through AAA.  Among others, she has published numerous articles on dispute resolution with Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and the ALI-ABA.     

Ms. Roth is the primary editor and contributing author of the national two-volume text, The Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Guide (Thomson/West 1993-2021), which was a finalist for the 1994 CPR book award. This text is widely cited by litigants and judges, and has become a staple in most law libraries. Ms. Roth publishes its yearly updates, which has kept her on the forefront of ADR developments for the past 29 years.

In addition to being selected to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list in the field of ADR by Boston Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine for over d decade, she received the John Dunlop Dispute Resolution Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2001 for her work in mediation. Ms. Roth taught the mediation course at Boston University School of Law for over a decade.

Practice Areas
  • 100%Alternative Dispute Resolution

Selections

12 Years Super Lawyers
  • Super Lawyers: 2006 - 2017

About Bette J. Roth

First Admitted: 1984, California

Professional Webpage: https://rothadr.com/about/

Scholarly Lectures/Writings

  • Annual speaker on section, "Settlement Agreements" at yearly CLE mediation workshop, Faculty/Panelist speaker, MCLE
  • Speaker at Women’s Summit., Speaker, “Negotiation for Women” , Questrom School of Business , 2016
  • Speaker at litigation program., Panelist speaker/faculty, “Litigation Management: The End Game” , Association of Corporate Counsel , 2014
  • Editor, Wisconsin International Law Journal, University of Wisconsin Law School, 1984
  • Co-Author, Securities Arbitration: Special Report, Wiley Law Publications, 1989
  • Speaker, MCLE ADR Program, October, 2009
  • Contributor, Securities Litigation: State and Federal, CCLE, 1988
  • Chairperson & faculty member, MCLE arbitration seminar, October, 2007
  • "Ten Tips for an Ethical and Effective Negotiation", Mass. Lawyer's Weekly, July, 2011
  • Speaker, ALI-ABA 32nd Annual Advanced Course of Study "Securities Litigation Planning and Strategies", June, 2007
  • "Ten Tips for an Ethical and Effective Negotiation", Rhode Island Lawyer's Weekly, July, 2011
  • Moderator and/or speaker, numerous Brown Bag Lunch series on Mediation and Arbitration, Boston Bar Association ADR Committee, 2005-2007, 2007
  • Co-Author, "Class Action Arbitrations: A First Circuit Update", Boston Bar Journal, March/April, 2008
  • Guest Lecturer, "Mediator Confidentiality and Liability", MWI, May, 2005
  • "Litigation Tactics in Mediation: Are They Ethical?", Mass. Lawyer’s Weekly, February, 2005
  • Guest speaker, "American ADR", Tipperary Bar Association, BBA (Oct. 2005) and Chinese Judicial representatives, MMDC, January, 2003
  • "Ethical Considerations for Advocates in Mediation", Boston Bar Association, October, 2004
  • Chairperson & faculty member, MCLE arbitration seminars, 2002
  • "Ten Suggestions for Negotiation in Employment Mediation", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA, Oct. 2004, reprinted at the request of the AICPA for the 2006 edition of Selected Readings by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2006
  • "Mediating Your Securities Disputes Successfully", NSCP Currents, Winter, 2004
  • Peer mediator trainer, 1998-2000, FCMS, 2000
  • Co-author, "Maximizing the Potential of Mediation", Mass. Lawyers Weekly, April, 2004
  •  Case screener & dispute resolution consultant since 2000, MMDC, 2000
  • Co-Author, "Selecting the Right Organization and the Arbitrator", Mass. Lawyers Weekly, February, 2003
  • Moderator & instructor, arbitration seminar & workshops, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, 1989
  • Co-Author, "Per Se Legality of Some Naked Restraints: A [Re]Conceptualization of the Antitrust Analysis of Cartelistic Organizations", The Antitrust Bulletin, July, 2000
  • Speaker: "Legal Updates", MCLE Representing Clients in Mediation, 2013
  • "Ten tips for an effective and ethical negotiation", ABA Business Law Spring Meeting, 2011
  • Speaker: "Settlement Agreements", MCLE Civil Mediation Workshop, 2012
  • Choosing the Right Dispute Resolution Process & Neutral in Closely Held Corporation Disputes, Mass Bar Association, 2011
  • Speaker: "Settlement Agreements", MCLE Civil Mediation Workshop, 2013
  • "Mediation, Arbitration, and Hybrid Processes", ADR & the Law, MCLE, 2009
  • Co-chairperson & trainer, 8-hour MCLE arbitrator training, Feb., 2005
  • Guest Lecturer, "Mediation Ethics", B.U. School of Law, March, 2005
  • Speaker, MCLE Mediation Workshop, "Enforceability of Mediated Settlement Agreements", 2012
  • Selecting the Right Organization and Arbitrator, Mass. Lawyers Weekly, Feb., 2003
  • "Negotiation Techniques for Business Lawyers", Faculty, ABA 2011 Business Law Spring Meeting, 2011
  • Speaker, "Negotiation Ethics", ABA National Business Law Spring Meeting, 2011
  • "Resolving Closely Held Corporation Disputes",  Faculty, Mass Bar Association, 2011
  • Speaker, AAA Advanced Mediator Training, November, 2009
  • "Negotiation Ethics Faculty, "ADR & the Law" MCLE, 2010
  • Speaker, MBA "Resolving Closed Corporation Disputes", November, 2008
  • "Hybrid ADR Processes", Faculty "ADR & the Law" MCLE, 2009
  • Speaker, MCLE, "Resolving Neighbor Disputes", February, 2009
  • "Mediation, Arbitration, and Hybrid ADR Processes", Faculty, AAA Advanced Mediator Training, 2009
  • Speaker, Securities Arbitration and Mediation, BBA, December, 2009
  • "Securities Arbitration and Mediation", Faculty, Boston Bar Association, 2009
  • "Med-Arb, Arb-med, Binding Mediation, Mediator's Proposal, and Other Hybrid Processes", Faculty, AAA Advanced Mediator Training, 2009
  • Speaker: "Settlement Agreements", MCLE Civil Mediation Workshop, 2015
  • "Choosing the Right Dispute Resolution Process and Neutral", Faculty, MCLE, 2009
  • Primary Editor and Author, 2003-2015, National Two-Volume Text, Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Guide, 2015
  • Chairperson & faculty member, MCLE arbitration seminars, 2004
  • "Resolving Neighbor Disputes", Faculty, MCLE, 2009
  • Editor, Co-Author, The Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Guide, 1993-2012, Thomson/West, 2012
  • "Resolving Closely Held Corporation Disputes", Faculty, MBA, 2008
  • Contributor, ADR & the Law, MCLE, 2010
  • "Arbitration Practice and Update 2007", Chair, MCLE, 2007
  • Contributor, ADR & the Law, MCLE, 2009
  • "Arbitrator Training, 8-hours, co-chair, MCLE, 2005
  • Numerous Brown-Bag Lunch Programs 2005-2008 on Mediation and Arbitration as Co-Chair of ADR Committee, Moderator, Faculty, 2008
  • Editor, Co-Author, Arbitration Practice and Update 2007, MCLE, 2007
  • Faculty member, CLE program, "Mediating Employment Cases", BBA, Nov., 2004
  • Co-Editor & Co-Author, Court Mandated Basic Training for Arbitrators, MCLE, 2005
  • "What Every Lawyer Should Know About Arbitration", Chair, MCLE, 2004
  • Editor, Co-Author, What Every Lawyer Should Know About Arbitration, MCLE, 2004
  • "Arbitration Practice and Update 2002", Co-Chair, MCLE, 2002
  • Editor, Co-Author, Arbitration Practice and Update 2002, MCLE, 2002

Pro bono/Community Service

  • Judge for Moot Court & Negotiation Competitions Boston University School of Law, Northeastern University School of Law
  • Yoga Serves marathon/fundraiser to provide services for parents of hospitalized children, 2018
  • Rider/fund raiser, Pan-Mass challenge bike ride to fund raise for cancer research, 2019
  • Volunteer member, Historic Newton house tour committee
  • Elected Member, Zervas Elementary School Council, 1999 - 2002
  • Elected member, Board of Directors, Hyde Community Center, 1997 - 2003
  • Co-chair, Community Project that F, designed, and Built Memorial Playground, 1998
  • Co-president, Zervas Elementary School Council, 2001 - 2002
  • Pro-Bono Mediator FCMS for Neighborhood and Family Disputes, 1997 - 2003
  • Communication/Mediation Training Coach, John Hancock & Boston Police Dept. Youth Violence Strike Force "Summer of Opportunity", 2006 - 2009
  • Elected Member, Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Counsel, 1997 - 2003
  • Pro Bono Trainer for Student Mediators, CMS, 1999 - 2002
  • Mediation Training Coach, Newton North High School Peer Mediation training, 2006 - Present
  • Newton Highlands Village Day and/or Newton Serves Yearly Volunteer, 1997 - Present

Representative Clients

  • Large, mid-size and small law firms in Massachusetts, New England, New York, California

Special Licenses/Certifications

  • Certified Arbitrator, AAA, 1991
  • Certified as a mediator by the International Mediation Institute (IMI) in the Hague
  • Certified Conciliator, MSC, 2005
  • Certified Mediator, FCMS, 1997

Educational Background

  • University of Massachusetts, Amherst, B.A. in Economics, Cum Laude, 1981

Honors/Awards

  • Designated "Master Mediator" by American Arbitration Association, Master Mediator, American Arbitration Association, 2016
  • CPR Book Finalist for The Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Guide (Thomson/West), 1994
  • Certified as a mediator by the International Mediation Institute (IMI) in the Hague, 2008 - Present
  • Mediator & Arbitrator, CPR's Panel of Distinguished Neutrals 
  • John Dunlop Dispute Resolution Award for Innovative Systems Design from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Publications, 2001
  • Mediator & Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association
  • Adjunct Professor of Mediation at Boston University School of Law, 2007 - 2020, Adjunct Professor, Boston University School of Law
  • Mediator & Arbitrator, REBA (Real Estate Bar Association)
  • Special Master, Receiver & Arbitrator:  Massachusetts Superior Courts

Bar/Professional Activity

  • Annually since 2012 panelist speaker/faculty member on section, “Settlement Agreements” (MCLE Civil Mediation Workshop)  , 2021
  • Co-Chair, ADR Committee, Litigation and International Sections, Boston Bar Association, 2005 - 2008
  • Wisconsin State Bar, 1984
  • Member, NEACR (New England Chapter for the Association of Conflict Resolution)
  • California State Bar, 1984
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • Massachusetts State Bar, 1985
  • Boston Bar Association
  • Member, Women's Bar Association

Industry Groups

  • Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Real Estate
  • Securities
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Office Location for Bette J. Roth

Box One
Newton, MA 02461

Phone: 617-795-2425

Last Updated: 6/13/2022

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