Arbitrator Fees

 Arbitration services* (other than labor arbitration) are billed at the rate of $500/hour, subject to certain minimums and late cancellation / postponement** 

*Arbitration services include service as the impartial decision maker (outside the labor/management milieu), irrespective of the role’s title, e.g., arbitrator, umpire, special master, special magistrate, etc.

**Fees as stated apply unless court order, agency order, or published panel/roster rates dictate different rate, in which case that rate governs.

• Binding Arbitration Hearing time: billed in full-day increments of $4,000 (for up to seven hours in a day); excess time each day is billed at the rate of $500/hour, in one-tenth hour increments.

• Non-Binding Arbitration Hearing time: billed in half-day increments of $2,000 (for up to four hours or part thereof); excess time each day is billed at the rate of $500/hour, in one-tenth hour increments.

• Non-Hearing Time (including, e.g., pre-hearing conferences, pre-hearing motion practice and orders, and post-hearing deliberation and rendering awards): $500/hour, in one-tenth hour increments.

• Travel time (when hearing location requires air travel or other travel of more than one hour from our North Tampa Office):  billed in half-day increments of $2,000 (for up to each four-hour segment of travel incurred each way).  

• Travel Expenses: Regardless of length of travel, actual travel expenses incurred (e.g., meals, tolls, hotels, air travel) plus mileage at the prevailing IRS rate will be also billed to the Parties.

Notice of cancellation or postponement of a scheduled arbitration hearing must be received at least 28 calendar days prior to the scheduled commencement of the arbitration hearing.

Absent timely notification, the parties will be billed their pro rata shares of the late cancellation / postponement fee ($4,000 for each day reserved for the arbitration hearing) plus:

• Travel time (billed for all half-days of scheduled travel for this matter which cannot be resold)
• Any non-refundable travel expenses actually incurred, e.g., airline change fees or penalties (if applicable).
•  Please note: if hearings do not last the full number of days reserved, the unused days are nonetheless considered late cancellations for which fees accrue. 

Note: if one party is prepared to go forward and the other party is not (e.g., in the event of a no-show) on the first scheduled date of the hearing, the arbitrator may impose the entire late cancellation / postponement fee against the party who failed to appear or who requested the late cancellation / postponement.

DEPOSITS: Arbitrator Fee and Expense Deposits are usually required (at the arbitrator’s sole discretion), and are based on the arbitrator’s estimate of fees and expenses to be incurred in the matter.  Such deposits are kept on account, and applied against invoices the arbitrator submits to the parties.  If additional deposits are requested, the parties shall make such deposits promptly; the balance, if any, left over after completion of the arbitration, will be promptly returned to the parties who made the deposit.  (N.B.: the funds are not kept in a lawyer trust account.)

BILLING:   Please note, the arbitrator typically bills in two phases:

• Immediately after conclusion of the hearing, Arbitrator will send invoices to the parties for all fees and expenses incurred through return to the office from the hearing. Those invoices are immediately due and payable at that time, net 15.
• Then, after issuance of the Award, Arbitrator will send additional invoices to the parties for all post-hearing time.