Mitchell L. Lathrop

Independent arbitrator and mediator
Areas of Specialization: 
Business Law,
Civil & Commercial Litigation & Arbitration,
Commercial Contracts,
Commercial Disputes,
Commercial Litigation,
Dispute Resolution,
Environmental Law,
Insurance,
International Commercial Arbitration,
International Commercial Transactions,
International Contracts,
International Dispute Resolution,
Mediation,
Military,
Products Liability,
Securities
Education and Degrees: 
B.S., Engineering, United States Naval Academy
J.D., Law, University of Southern California
Diplomate, International Arbitration Law, College of Law of England & Wales
Bar Admission or Professional License: 
Admitted to practice in California, the District of Columbia and New York

3580 Carmel Mountain Road
Suite 300
San Diego, California 92130-6768
U.S.A.

Publications from our site: 
Publications: 

Computer Technology in Civil Litigation, Bancroft-Whitney, 1990; Insurance Coverage for Environmental Claims, LexisNexis Matthew Bender (updated annually);“Excess Umbrella and Reinsurance Issues in Environmental Cases,” Defense Research Institute, October, 1988; “The Environmental Engineer as an Expert in Litigation,” Proceedings 44th Purdue Industrial Waste Conference, (1989), reprinted in 2 Env. Claims Jour. 65 (1989); “Disputes Between Direct Insurers,” Practicing Law Institute, 1990; “Insuring Environmental Risks,” Business Insurance Law and Practice, Matthew Bender, 1990; “Attorney-Client Privilege and Attorney Work Product Immunity in Insurance Coverage Litigation,” Defense Research Institute, 1990; “Excess Insurance and Insurance Coverage Litigation,” American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, March, 1993; “Reinsurance,” Defense Research Institute, October, 1993;“What Every Lawyer Ought to Know about Reinsurance (But Too Few Do)!” San Diego County Bar Association, Insurance/Bad Faith Section, June, 1995; “Mediating Reinsurance Insolvency Disputes,” American Bar Association Section of Business Law, June, 1996; “Insolvency and Reinsurance:  The Search for Assets and the Battle for the Funds,” New York State Bar Reinsurance Litigation and Arbitration Program, November, 1996; “Trigger of Coverage and Allocation of Losses Between Reinsurers and Cedents,” Reinsurance Association of America, Environmental Conference, January, 1997; “Insurance Implications of the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards,” Zurich Reinsurance Centre, Inc., Conference on Emerging Issues in the Professional Liability Arena, January,  1997; “Private Cleanup Cost Recovery and Compliance with the National Contingency Plan,” Environmental Claims Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, pg. 59, Winter, 1998; “Insurance Implications of the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards,” 1 Jour. Ins. Coverage 30 (1998); “The Changing Face of Expert Evidence,” 52 F.D.C.C. Quarterly 409 (2002); “Interim Awards and Freezing Assets,” International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (January 2007); “A Comparative Look at International Arbitral Rules and Statutes,” Center for International Legal Studies (February 2007); “Subtle Differences: A Look at Some Widely Used Arbitral Rules,” International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (May 2007); “Court-ordered Interim Measures in Aid of the Enforceability of Pending Foreign Arbitration,” Journal of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (July 2007); “Responsive Pleadings and Arbitration,” Alternatives to Litigation, 2010; “Widely Used Rules in International Arbitration,” International Dispute Resolution, Kluwer Law International, 2010; “Jurisdiction Issues in International Arbitration,” Global Business Law Review, 2 Global Bus. L. Rev. 29 (2012); “The State of the Law: Responsive Pleading, and Motions to Compel Arbitration,” Alternatives, Vol. 30 (February 2012)

Mitchell L. Lathrop is a lawyer who practices in the areas of domestic and international arbitration, insurance and reinsurance law, environmental law, securities and complex litigation.  He is a Chartered Arbitrator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (U.K.).  Mr. Lathrop is a diplomate in international arbitration law of the College of Law of England and Wales.  He is a Distinguished Neutral of the International Institute for the Prevention and Resolution of Disputes (CPR) and a Fellow of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, Sydney.  He also serves as an arbitrator for the Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society, U.S. (ARIAS-US); the Singapore International Arbitration Centre; the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; the Reinsurance Association of America; the London Court of International Arbitration; the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association; the Dubai International Arbitration Centre; the Kuala Lumpur International Arbitration Centre; and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).  Mr. Lathrop is a member of the American Board of Neutrals Association.

Mr. Lathrop is admitted to practice in California, the District of Columbia, New York, and before the U.S. Supreme Court.  He is also admitted to practice before numerous federal courts and governmental agencies.

Mr. Lathrop is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is a former Presiding Referee of the California State Bar Court.  He holds the highest Martindale-Hubbell “A” rating in both California and New York, and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America as well as Super Lawyers for both New York City and San Diego.  He is a retired Captain in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Navy.

Nationalities: 
American
Born: 
Los Angeles, California, USA
Languages: 
English (fluent)
Professional Experience: 

Mr. Lathrop has been a practicing lawyer, mediator and arbitrator for over 40 years.

Professional Associations: 

American Board of Trial Advocates; Judge Advocates Association (former Chairman, Southern California Chapter); American Board of Neutrals Association; State Bar of California; San Diego County Bar Association (former Vice-President and Chair of the Ethics Committee); American Bar Association; Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers; International Association of Defense Counsel; Federal Bar Association; Bar Association of the District of Columbia; Association of Business Trial Lawyers; Federal Bar Council (Second Circuit); Bar Association of the City of New York; Legion Lex Inn of Court (former President, San Diego Chapter); New York Academy of Sciences; Fellow, Center for International Legal Studies, Salzburg, Austria; Board of Editors, Journal of Insurance Coverage, Aspen Law & Business; International Bar Association

Panel of Arbitrators: 

Distinguished Neutral, International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR); Arbitrator, California Superior Court for San Diego County, California; Arbitrator, Japan Commercial Arbitration Association; Arbitrator, Singapore International Arbitration Centre; Fellow, Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration; Arbitrator, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Arbitrator, Reinsurance Association of America; Arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA); Mediator, Mediators Beyond Borders; Arbitrator, National Arbitration Forum; Arbitrator, International Chamber of Commerce; Arbitrator, London Court of International Arbitration; Member, The Institute for Transnational Arbitration; Certified arbitrator, Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society, U.S. (ARIAS•US); Qualified mediator, Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society, U.S. (ARIAS•US); Member, American Board of Neutrals Association; Member, Association Suisse de l’Arbitrage; Arbitrator, Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Run-Off Companies (AIRROC); Member, Association of International Arbitration (“AIA”); Arbitrator, Vienna International Arbitration Center

Arbitration Experience: 

Mr. Lathrop has served as sole arbitrator, party arbitrator or counsel in over 150 mediations and arbitrations. Due to the confidential nature of mediation and arbitral proceedings, further information cannot be provided except as required by disclosure rules of the particular jurisdiction or provider organization in a specific mediation or arbitral proceeding.

Arbitration Philosophy/Statement: 

As a mediator, I try to bring the parties together to reach a fair and equitable settlement of their dispute. As an arbitrator, I strive to do justice based upon the arbitration agreement of the parties, the law and the evidence presented. I do not believe in "cutting the baby in half." Arbitration should be conducted fairly, promptly and with a minimum of discovery.

Attachment(s): 
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resume_uploaded-120601.pdf105.21 KB
Phone Number: 
+1.619.985.8262
Fax Number: 
+1.619.226.2762
Email: 
mllathrop@earthlink.net