Joseph Farina

Miami Commercial, Business & Complex Civil Mediator | Retired Chief Judge | Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator & Qualified Arbitrator

Serving Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Statewide Florida in Commercial Litigation, Business Disputes, Class Actions, Insurance, Personal Injury, Professional Liability, Employment, Real Estate, and Complex Civil Matters
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Overview

The Honorable Joseph P. Farina (Ret.) is one of Florida's most respected dispute resolution professionals. A retired Chief Judge of Florida's Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Judge Farina served on the bench for more than thirty years, including fourteen years as Chief Judge of one of the nation's largest and busiest trial court systems.

Since joining JAMS in 2012, Judge Farina has devoted his practice exclusively to mediation, arbitration, special magistrate appointments, neutral evaluations, and complex dispute resolution. Recognized by the Dade County Bar Association as "Best Mediator" with its Legal Luminary Mediation Award and awarded the Circle of Excellence for “ADR". He is known for helping parties resolve sophisticated, high-value disputes efficiently while maintaining neutrality, professionalism, and judicial insight.

During his judicial career, Judge Farina managed the resolution of thousands of complex matters involving commercial litigation, business disputes, insurance coverage, personal injury, wrongful death, professional liability, employment, construction, class actions, mass torts, real property, and financial litigation. His experience includes presiding over more than 3,500 complex civil cases, including nationally significant asbestos and Chinese drywall litigation.
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Mediation Philosophy

Judge Farina believes that effective mediation begins with careful preparation, a thorough understanding of the legal issues, and a practical appreciation of litigation risk.

Drawing upon decades of judicial leadership and experience resolving thousands of complex disputes, he works collaboratively with counsel and parties to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, narrow contested issues, and create opportunities for meaningful settlement. When serving as mediator, his objective is to assist parties toward informed, efficient, and durable resolutions.
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Arbitration Philosophy

Judge Farina thoroughly prepares for each stage of the arbitration process including the preliminary arbitration conference; periodic status conferences resolving discovery disputes; pre-final hearing substantive motions; and the final hearing. Party filings are read and considered prior to all scheduled conferences and hearings. His more than 30 years as a trial judge brings experienced management skills yielding savings in time, effort and resources for all concerned. Prepared; Professional; Proficient.
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Experience

Judge Farina served as a Judge of Florida's Eleventh Judicial Circuit from 1979 through 2012 and as Chief Judge from 1995 through 2009, supervising:
• 123 Judges
• 15 General Magistrates
• 20 Traffic Hearing Officers
• More than 500 court employees
• Ten courthouse facilities throughout Miami-Dade County

Since becoming a full-time neutral, he has continued resolving complex commercial, business, insurance, construction, employment, professional liability, and personal injury disputes throughout Florida.

His representative matters include:
• Complex business governance and shareholder disputes
• High-value insurance coverage litigation
• Commercial lease and real estate conflicts
• Wrongful death and catastrophic injury claims
• Medical and legal malpractice actions
• Commercial foreclosures and lender liability matters
• Class actions and mass tort litigation
• Professional licensing matters
• Construction and property damage disputes
• Employment contract and executive compensation disputes

Whether resolving a complex commercial dispute, catastrophic personal injury claim, insurance coverage controversy, professional liability action, employment matter, or real estate conflict, Judge Joseph P. Farina brings more than three decades of judicial leadership and extensive ADR experience to help parties achieve thoughtful, efficient, and lasting resolutions.
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Representative Matters

Judge Farina has mediated, arbitrated, or presided over thousands of complex disputes throughout Florida. His experience includes:
• Commercial and business disputes involving breach of contract, shareholder, partnership, joint venture, financing, fraud, and business governance matters.
• Insurance coverage and first-party property claims, including hurricane, water damage, commercial property losses, and bad faith disputes.
• Personal injury and wrongful death cases involving catastrophic injuries, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, negligent security, product liability, aviation, boating, and slip-and-fall claims.
• Medical, dental, legal, and other professional liability matters.
• Construction disputes involving commercial and residential projects, construction defects, property damage, and construction liens.
• Employment disputes involving executive contracts, non-compete agreements, compensation, and wrongful termination.
• Real estate litigation involving commercial and residential transactions, foreclosures, condominium and homeowner associations, landlord-tenant matters, land use, and title disputes.
• Class actions and mass tort litigation, including asbestos and Chinese drywall cases.
• Probate, trust, fiduciary, and estate administration disputes.
• Title IX, educational institution, and administrative proceedings.
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Notable Experience

Presided over approximately 3,500 complex civil cases, including nationally significant asbestos and Chinese drywall litigation.
Successfully mediated disputes involving commercial real estate, shareholder conflicts, insurance coverage, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, professional malpractice, executive employment agreements, and complex business litigation.

Recognized for resolving high-value, multi-party disputes through mediation, arbitration, special magistrate appointments, and neutral evaluations.
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Honors & Professional Recognition

Judge Farina has received numerous professional honors throughout his career, including:
• Dade County Bar Association Legal Luminary Award – Best Mediator
• Dade County Bar Association award Circle of Excellence - ADR
• Chief Justice's Commendation
• Outstanding Leadership & Vision Award – Florida Judicial Branch
• David W. Dyer Professionalism Award
• Jurist of the Year
• Justice Harry Lee Anstead Professionalism Award

He has also chaired or served on numerous Florida Supreme Court committees responsible for judicial administration, strategic planning, ethics, budgeting, and governance while remaining active in legal education and professional leadership.
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