CMMA Neutrals

Meet the Team

Howard E. Stempler

  • Over the course of his 38-year legal career, Howard has provided representation as insurance defense counsel as well as plaintiff’s counsel on a wide range of civil matters from personal injury to commercial and employment disputes to family law matters. Howard has appeared and tried cases before most state and federal courts and tribunals in the Commonwealth as well as representing clients before the ABCC, DEP, the United States Department of Defense, and the Social Security Administration. Howard has been recognized as a Top Attorney by the Boston Magazine and as a Thomson Reuters Peer-rated Super Lawyer 2016-2022.

    Howard continues to serve as counsel to a number of closely held and non-profit businesses on matters involving business planning and strategy, employment, and corporate matters. Howard has also founded and operated several businesses, including OVO, a snowsport helmet manufacturing and distribution company, and BABA, an award-winning sushi restaurant. He also served for nine years as the President of JEMS of New England, a real estate holding company dedicated to environmental remediation and the sale of over 40 pieces of commercial real estate.

    Outside of his professional work, Howard has served the Worcester community on various non-profit boards, has started several non-profit organizations and was a long-time board member and past President of the Jewish Community Center. Howard recently was a volunteer mentor in the EforAll small business entrepreneurship program. He is also a proud 4-time participant in the Pan Mass Challenge, the world’s largest athletic fundraising event for cancer research and treatment. Howard is presently the co-chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee for the Worcester County Bar Association.

    Howard believes that his mediation training, years of diverse civil practice, his own entrepreneurship and practical business experience as well as his community service, provide those skill sets, perspectives, and experience necessary to assist individuals and businesses resolve their disputes efficiently and cost-effectively. Howard is a graduate of New England School of Law (cum laude) and holds a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.


hstempler@cmassmediation.com

Hon. David Ricciardone, RET.

  • CMMA is proud to include as a Neutral, Judge David Ricciardone (Ret.) who served as a justice in the Superior Court of the Massachusetts Trial Court between January 2011 and April 2022. Judge Ricciardone presided over everything from complex civil and criminal motion hearings to hundreds of jury trials in cases ranging from medical malpractice to murder.
    For the seven years prior to his appointment to the Superior Court, Judge Ricciardone served as a District Court Justice, from 2004 through 2011. Between 2017-2018, he served as the Regional Administrative Justice of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire Counties and was a member of the Jury Management Advisory Committee 2017-2022. Judge Ricciardone was an original member of the Judicial Mentoring Program from 2008 through 2022. His service to the bar also includes acting as President of the Worcester County Bar Advocates from 1994 through 2023.
    One of the Judge’s proudest moments was being appointed judge of the Worcester District Court by Governor Romney in 2004—an honor rivaled only by his appointment to the Superior Court by Governor Deval Patrick seven years later. After eighteen years of service on the bench, Judge Ricciardone now seeks to continue to assist the community in accessing justice through arbitration and mediation.
    Judge Ricciardone came to central Massachusetts in the mid-1980’s as prosecutor in the office of then District Attorney John Conte. It was as an assistant district attorney, prosecuting hundreds of criminal complaints to verdict, that he discovered his passion for trial work. From 1989 through 2004, Judge Ricciardone engaged in the private practice of law in Worcester and his practice included a broad spectrum of criminal and civil matters on behalf of individuals in both the Massachusetts state and Federal courts.
    Dave Ricciardone grew up in Medford, Massachusetts, one of six children in a family raised by parents who emphasized the importance of education. (His father is alive and well at the age of 101!) He earned his B.A. degree (cum laude) from Harvard University in 1980 and his law degree from the Villanova School of Law. While at Harvard, Judge Ricciardone was on the Harvard Crew team and spent a year studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.
    Judge Ricciardone has maintained most of his fluency in Spanish, holds a Light Sport Aircraft license, and remains an avid student of golf, tennis, pickleball, skiing, kayaking and backgammon.

dricciardone@cmassmediation.com

James P. Horan

  • CMMA is pleased to welcome Jim Horan, after a distinguished 38-year tenure as a partner at Gould & Ettenberg and one of Worcester County’s premiere personal injury litigators. A Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review rated attorney, Jim has tried hundreds of cases and resolved dozens of cases as an advocate in the mediation and arbitration process.

    Known for his preparation, trial and people skills, Jim brings a depth of understanding for the value of each case and the nuances of the trial process. He has forged strong relationships and garnered the respect of plaintiff and defense attorneys alike. Recognized for his wisdom and no-nonsense approach, Jim built a highly successful practice primarily on referrals from other attorneys, including and especially the defense bar.

    Jim has been a volunteer conciliator for the Worcester District Court for more than 20 years and was an adjunct professor teaching a negotiation, mediation and conflict management course at Clark University for 6 years.

    Born and raised in Worcester and Shrewsbury, Jim attended The College of the Holy Cross and Western New England University School of Law. Jim has served in the community for nearly 20 years as President of The Gratiae Fund for the St. Peter Catholic Elementary School and for three years as a member of the Finance Committee for the Town of Sutton.

jhoran@cmassmediation.com

Jeffrey P. Greenberg

  • Jeff Greenberg has devoted many years of practice to divorce, modification and contempt matters, drafting pre – and post-nuptial agreements, guardianship and conservator cases including Rogers guardianships, and estate and trust litigation. Because of his reputation as a prudent and fair advocate, he frequently receives judicial appointments as a special trustee, special personal estate representative and discovery master in the Probate and Family Court.

    Jeff has substantial experience in all forms of commercial, matrimonial and family disputes involving business, trust and tax issues, disposition of complex assets and liabilities, payment of college and educational expenses, alimony and child support matters, child custody and visitation disputes (DCF and non-DCF involved). He regularly represents businesses and individuals in need of experienced and personalized guidance through the Massachusetts Trial Court system. Jeff is also a certified mediator and conciliator.

    Jeff’s business, volunteer and community activities are varied. He is currently the Co-Chair of the Worcester County Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. He also is a member of the Worcester County Bar Association’s Volunteer Conciliation program and ARC (Attorneys Representing Children) Program. He also has served as a board member and chair of various committees for numerous organizations including the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce, First Beacon Business Advisors, LLC, the Ted Williams Little League, The Worcester Jewish Community Center, and his synagogue, Temple Emanuel Sinai. He can also be seen performing at local events and fundraisers as a solo acoustic guitarist and vocalist. Mr. Greenberg lives in Worcester, MA with his wife and two children.

    Jeff is a graduate of Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York and received a B.A. (cum laude) from Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts.

jgreenberg@cmassmediation.com

Kenneth A. Reich

  • Kenneth A. Reich is an experienced lawyer with a national practice. He concentrates in environmental and energy law. He also counsels and represents clients on local, state and federal regulatory matters, handles administrative and civil litigation and provides general corporate and transactional advice. Mr. Reich formed his own firm in 2010 in order to provide his clients with high quality legal representation without the expensive overhead and bureaucracy of a large firm.

    Ken has represented a broad range of national as well as regional clients, providing them legal services in the fields of environmental law, including advice on Climate Change regulations and potential regulations; environmental, health and safety, including OSHA; environmental litigation, including defense of governmental enforcement actions and representation of plaintiffs and defendants in private litigation; Superfund matters; energy, including traditional and alternative energy; federal, state and local regulatory advice and representation; general civil litigation; commercial leasing and general corporate matters.

    Attorney Reich is a trained, experienced mediator and a trained arbitrator (formerly a member of the commercial litigation arbitration panel of the AAA). He is an appointed member of the Dispute Resolution Council of the Massachusetts Bar Assn. and has organized and been a panelist a number of educational programs co-hosted by the Council. For a number of years, Mr. Reich served as adjunct faculty at the Boston University School of Law where he taught alternative dispute resolution, environmental law and energy law and policy.

    After graduation from Harvard Law School, Ken was a staff attorney with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and thereafter joined the law firm of Piper and Marbury (now known as DLA Piper) where he eventually headed up their pro bono office. From 1979-86 he served as a trial attorney, then Assistant Chief of the Environmental Enforcement Section, U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where he litigated as well as supervised a number of complex, precedential cases in the federal courts and worked on policy issues.

    Ken frequently speaks and writes on energy and environmental topics and has been quoted in the national media and trade press. He issues periodic updates on breaking issues in national environmental and energy policy and regulation. In addition to articles and speaking engagements, Ken previously authored several versions of the chapter on the “Massachusetts Clean Air Act”, Massachusetts Environmental Law (MCLE) and the chapter, “Developments in Criminal and Civil Enforcement under Key Environmental Statutes”, Environmental Risk Management, A Desk Reference, ed. Eric B. Rothenberg and Dean Jeffery Telego (RTM Communications, Inc., 1991).

    Attorney Reich formerly served as co-chair of the Environmental Litigation Committee and as co-founder and co-chair of the Clean Air Committee of the Boston Bar Association. For a number of years, he was adjunct faculty at the Boston University School of Law, where he taught a seminar on hot topics in environmental law and a practical skills- oriented course on alternative dispute resolution, including mock negotiations and mediation.

    Ken is currently admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. He is also admitted in a number of federal appellate and district courts. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School (J.D. cum laude) and Cornell University (B.A. in Government).

kreich@cmassmediation.com

William F. Savarino

  • Bill Savarino has been practicing Government law for 40 years focusing on matters pertaining to federal and state procurements. He started his legal career in the Contract Law Department of the U.S. Department of Commerce, following which he became a partner in the Government Contracts practice of a large national firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. To better serve clients in the small to mid-sized markets, he moved to a boutique Government Contracts firm with 12 lawyers in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA, named Cordatis, LLP.

    One of the foremost practitioners in his specialized field, Bill’s practice includes government contracts, national security, and business transactions both domestic and international. Government Contracts practice involves counseling and litigating, both prosecuting and defending government contract claims, on behalf of contractors before the administrative Boards of Contract Appeals and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The nature of the include construction, technology, technical data rights, interpretations, compliance, terminations, and changes.

    While the federal government cannot be forced to participate in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve disputed claims, Bill has been highly successful in using, FAR 33.214, a little-known administrative rule, to incentivize government contracting officers to employ ADR procedures (including mediation) as early in the dispute process as possible. Under FAR 33.214, if the government contracting officer rejects a contractor’s request for ADR proceedings, the officer must provide the contractor a written explanation to explain why the circumstances fit within limited exemptions to ADR or why ADR procedures are inappropriate, which is reviewable by the judge. Government contracting officers, often reluctant to sign such a document and commit to a position so early in the process, will most often agree to engage in ADR.

    Bill advises clients in countries throughout the world and has served as a paid consultant to various international corporations and chambers of commerce eager to learn the intricacies of engaging in contracting with the United States Government. Bill is a graduate of the Brandeis School of Law, Louisville, Kentucky where he was Editor-in-Chief, Louisville Law Examiner and has a B.S. in Accounting from University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. He is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia (1984) and Virginia (1990). CMMA is pleased to have Bill and his specialized skill set as a Neutral.


bsavarino@cmassmediation.com

Amin Danai

  • Amin (“A-meen”) Danai, J.D., is a full-time mediator. He mediates in person across the Commonwealth and by Zoom, handling civil disputes across numerous practice areas including:

    Business/Commercial

    Employment

    Organizational

    Personal Injury

    Professional Liability

    Real Estate

    Securities

    Trust and Probate

    Whatever the nature of the case, Amin brings his experience of managing difficult relationship dynamics and mastering the intricacies of complex disputes. In addition to mediating civil disputes, Amin also helps organizations. He has served as a neutral between organizations wishing to negotiate joint ventures, and he has facilitated sensitive discussions within organizations.

    Amin began mediating full-time in 2022 when he joined the roster of neutrals at The Mediation Group in Brookline, MA. Before transitioning to mediation full time, he practiced law at Ropes & Gray LLP for nine years. His interest in mediation developed while at Ropes & Gray. After completing his initial mediation training and mediating disputes in court, Amin took a hiatus from Ropes & Gray for an intensive mediation program at The Mediation Group. He learned from Brad Honoroff while working with him on over a hundred complex cases, and also worked with many other prominent Boston mediators. This rare experience exposed Amin to many different mediation styles and enabled him to learn what works and what doesn’t. He draws from that experience to tailor his approach to the case at hand. References are available from attorneys who have mediated with Amin.

    Amin is a graduate of St. Lawrence University, magna cum laude, and Boston University School of Law, summa cum laude. Before law school, Amin served under AmeriCorps in a legal aid office in Worcester. He grew up in western Massachusetts and lives there now with his wife and daughter. He’s an avid golfer, squash player, mountain biker, and alpine skier.

    Publications:

    If We Want Young Mediators, Massachusetts Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Review, November 2022

    The Case for Mediation Clauses in Host Community Agreements, Cannabis Law Journal, April 2023

    Current Trends in Mediation, Worcester County Bar Association Legal Lines, March 2023 (page 9)

    Business Mediation – Hitting Reset, Massachusetts Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Review, November 2023

    Webinars:

    Building a Successful Dispute Resolution Practice, Massachusetts Bar Association

adanai@cmassmediation.com

Michelle Jones - Johnson

  • Michelle Jones-Johnson, a highly regarded human capital strategist, draws on over 25 years of multi-sector leadership in human resource and talent strategy, diversity and inclusion, organizational culture, and leadership development in a variety of industries—including healthcare, higher education, legal, engineering, architecture, and sales.

    Since 2010, Michelle has served as President and Founder of UnVeiled Leadership Consulting, a firm committed to providing leaders and organizations with the guidance and support needed to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing global organizational and corporate landscape.

    Leveraging her diverse industry experience, she has successfully mediated conflicts in high-stress situations, such as during organizational restructuring, demonstrating her ability to navigate complex dynamics and guide teams toward collaborative solutions. Jones-Johnson, in her capacity as a workplace mediator, conducts tailored conflict resolution workshops for employees and leaders, equipping them with effective communication tools and strategies to address disputes constructively. She approaches each mediation as an opportunity to foster innovative and creative solutions to individual and organizational challenges.

    Jones-Johnson holds a master’s degree in business administration from Syracuse University, a master’s in organizational management from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from The University of Michigan. She serves on local and regional boards and was honored in 2017 with an appointment to the Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She holds several professional certifications which include Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), certified coach and facilitator through the Center for Creative Leadership, Human Capital Institute, Korn Ferry, and Kaiser Leadership. She was selected to be part of the inaugural cohort of the National Inclusive Excellence Academy, a highly selective program by the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership and Social Innovation in Higher Education. Her vision and approach to infusing diversity, equity and inclusion into every aspect of organizational strategy and practice has received national honors.

    Michelle is a proud member of The Boston Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, an international, not-for-profit organization comprising more than 12,000 professional Women of Color. Jones-Johnson is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a sisterhood of predominately Black, college educated women with over 1,000 U.S. and international chapters.

mjjohnson@cmassmediation.com

Timothy J Kelly

  • Tim Kelly is an intellectual property lawyer and certified ADR specialist with more than 30 years of experience in the field. Tim began his career with one of the country’s largest IP-specialty firms, eventually becoming a partner and Chair of the firm’s Trademark Practice Group.

    After briefly transitioning to a regional general practice firm in the New York metropolitan area in 2017, Tim concluded that the best and most efficient way to serve his clients was to start a small, trademark-focused firm. That firm, T.J. Kelly Intellectual Property Law, P.C., is approaching its five-year anniversary.

    Tim has extensive experience in all aspects of trademark and unfair competition law, including litigation both in the district and appellate courts and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, domestic and international trademark portfolio management, trademark prosecution and licensing. He has also had experience negotiating and litigating Internet domain name and other e-commerce disputes, as well as copyright matters.

    Tim has a biology/chemistry background and has handled patent litigation matters in the District Courts and at the Federal Circuit. Tim’s clients come from all over the world and a wide range of industries including finance, industrial components, clothing, human foods and confections, pet foods, pharmaceuticals, electronics, appliances, sporting goods, gaming, and publications, among others.

    Tim is a graduate of Pace University Law School (now Haub Law School), where he was a Notes & Comments editor for the Pace Environmental Law Review. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Pace Law, where he teaches a Patent Law course. Tim has an undergraduate degree in biology from Fairfield University. Tim is admitted to the bars of the States of Connecticut (1991), New York (1992), and New Jersey (2019). In his spare time, Tim can typically be found at one of several hockey rinks, where he is active in multiple adult hockey leagues.

    As a certified ADR specialist, Tim is available to conduct mediations and arbitration for parties locally, nationally, and internationally, both in-person and via zoom.

tkelly@cmassmediation.com