Strategic leadership in complex, high-stakes arbitration

​

Erin Gleason Alvarez serves as a full-time arbitrator in complex commercial, insurance, entertainment, and employment disputes. With over 20 years of experience in arbitration and ADR, she brings a practical, disciplined approach to case administration—engaging directly in procedural strategy, claim analysis, and evidentiary oversight.

​

Ms. Gleason has served as arbitrator in proceedings administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), and the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR), and is recognized for her clear process design and focus on outcome-oriented decision-making.

 

She is regularly appointed as tribunal chair, sole arbitrator, and emergency arbitrator, where she is known for her ability to manage procedurally complex and multi-party cases efficiently and with fairness.

​

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
 

Business & Commercial
• Arbitrated breach of contract disputes involving franchise agreements, purchase agreements, financial instruments, master services agreements, commercial leases, consumer contracts, and business broker agreements - addressing issues of performance, interpretation, fraud, confidentiality obligations, termination, warranties, indemnification, limitations on liability, assignment, and force majeure. 
•    Corporate dissolution matters, including disputes over asset distribution, governance, and stakeholder interests. 
•    Business partner and joint venture disputes, including conflicts over funding, obligations, payments, and employment-related issues. 
•    Investor-founder disputes regarding business control, equity distribution, and financial management. 
•    Trademark infringement disputes among former business partners involving branding, intellectual property rights, and market competition.
 

Employment
•    Managed disputes involving performance-based compensation structures, deferred compensation arrangements, and wrongful denial of benefits.
• Handled wrongful termination claims, assessing allegations of unlawful dismissal, breach of contract, retaliation, and failure to adhere to termination policies.

•    Addressed disputes involving constructive discharge, bad-faith employment practices, and misclassification of employment status affecting severance and benefits entitlements.
•    Discrimination claims involving allegations of race, gender, disability, age, and retaliation, overseeing cases related to workplace harassment, disparate treatment, failure to provide reasonable accommodations, and violations of equal employment protections. Managed disputes concerning employer liability, institutional bias, and resolution frameworks aimed at ensuring fair workplace practices.
 

Entertainment
•    Intellectual property disputes among artists over ownership rights, creative contributions, and control of joint projects. 

Insurance 
•    Construction defect disputes involving commercial and residential properties, addressing claims related to structural deficiencies, design defects, material failures, water intrusion, foundation instability, and code violations. Managed cases involving contractor liability, warranty disputes, and insurance coverage claims arising from construction defects.
•    Payor/provider disputes between hospitals and health insurance companies.
•    Claims involving directors and officers (D&O) liability, workplace discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation matters.

Emergency Arbitration Proceedings
•    Arbitrated emergency disputes requiring immediate action to enforce contractual obligations, including cases involving disrupted supply chains and halted commercial operations. Managed proceedings addressing requests for injunctive relief, payment enforcement, and operational continuity.
•    Presided over emergency arbitration concerning corporate governance, including urgent dispute over voting rights, board composition, and contested shareholder actions. 
• Handled emergency arbitration claim involving allegations of unauthorized conversion of commercial property, where a party sought immediate relief to enforce property preservation rights and address claims of intentional damage to commercial facilities.