As an Arbitrator, Janice Sperow exemplifies a balance of important traits: authoritative and teachable; intuitive and reliable; attentive and open-minded. Ms. Sperow brings a wealth of experience, having served as the Arbitrator in 450+ cases, and more than 1,000+ alternative dispute resolution cases. Additionally, Janice’s experience as counsel laid the framework for her career as an Arbitrator.
Ms. Sperow received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, graduating magna cum laude with high honors, and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, San Francisco, Hastings College of the Law, graduating summa cum laude and second out of over 400 students.
After her Second Circuit clerkship, Ms. Sperow joined Morrison & Foerster, a 1000+ attorney international law firm headquartered in San Francisco where she specialized in complex commercial litigation in a variety of areas, on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, including: commercial matters, employment, discrimination, intellectual property, energy, trade secret, contract, fraud, banking, aviation, healthcare, and alternative dispute resolution.
Ms. Sperow also employed Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques on behalf of her clients, handling dozens of arbitrations, mediations, and neutral case resolutions. She served as an arbitrator and a chief arbitrator for the Bar Association of San Francisco from 1989 to 1995 and as arbitrator and arbitration panel chair for FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority from 1999 to the present (formerly NASD). After leaving the firm, Ms. Sperow was appointed by Mayor Willie Brown in 1997 to serve as Hearing Officer for municipal railway public transportation disputes. Her appointment was accepted by both labor and management. Thereafter, Ms. Sperow served as Managing Partner and Head of Litigation and ADR for Ruiz & Sperow, a boutique women-owned, minority-owned law firm, assisting public and private employers in all matters.
Simultaneously, Ms. Sperow taught at University of San Diego Law School. She retired from USD in August 2017 and decided to turn her part-time service as a neutral since 1989 into a full-time passion. Ms. Sperow is currently an arbitrator and mediator for the American Arbitration Association (AAA)’s following panels, as well as several other prominent ADR providers:
- Commercial
- Large complex case
- Employment
- Technology & Emerging Technology
- Healthcare
- Intellectual property & Trade Secrets
- Consumer
- Class action
- Mass Claims
- Emergency Arbitrator
- Expedited Arbitrator
- Workplace Investigations
Education
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law (now UC Law San Francisco), JD, Law, 1986
- University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts – BA, Magna Cum Laude, High Honors Dissertation
- Hundreds of hours of ADR training both as trainer and trainee (full list available upon request)
Licenses & Certifications
- Certified Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) Member, Dispute Resolution Board Foundation
- Certified Dispute Resolution Board Member, Caltrans
- Certified Early Dispute Resolution Neutral, American Arbitration Association
- Certified Relationship Facilitator, CPR
- Licensed Attorney, State Bar of California
Memberships & Affiliations
- Hearing Officer, Port of San Diego, Personnel Advisory Board, Chair 2020-2023
- Hearing Officer, City & County of San Francisco 2020-2022 & 2022-2024 terms
- Hearing Officer, City & County of Los Angeles 2021-present
- Judge Pro Tem, San Diego Superior Court 2018- present
- Inducted as Fellow into Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals
- Inducted as Fellow into the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, global and North America sections
- Early Dispute Resolution Institute, member
- Federal Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section, Board Member
- San Diego County Bar Association, member Dispute Resolution, Labor & Employment, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Intellectual Property, and Entertainment Law Sections
- Former President of the National Association of Women Lawyers as well as previously Executive Board Member, Treasurer-Elect, and Health Care Committee Co-Chair.
- American Bar Association, former Vice-Chair of the International Human Rights Litigation Subcommittee
- American Bar Association, former Member of Law Practice Management Section and Women Rainmakers Interest Group
- American Bar Association, former member of the Commission of the Status of Women in the Law
- American Bar Association, current Member of the Business Law and Dispute Resolution Sections
- Second VP of California Women Lawyers
Training
- 2019-Present Online Dispute Resolution Training
- 2017-Present AAA Arbitrator Training
- 2017-Present BBB Arbitrator Training
- 2018-Present San Diego and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Training
- 1989-Present NASD & FINRA Arbitrator Training