Hon. Carol E. Heckman (Ret.), partner at Lippes Mathias, leader of the firm’s alternative dispute resolution practice team, and fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, co-authored a new chapter on class and mass arbitration in the just-issued fifth edition of The College of Commercial Arbitrators Guide to Best Practices in Commercial Arbitration. 

Heckman collaborated with John M. Townsend, a partner at Hughes, Hubbard & Reed, LLP, and John Burritt McArthur of Berkeley, California. The chapter addresses recent developments in class and mass arbitration, which provide practical frameworks for managing large-scale proceedings. 

The fifth edition of the guide includes expanded content on the evolving law and practice of commercial arbitration, as well as guidance on data privacy, cybersecurity, and the use of generative artificial intelligence. Additional appendices focus on social media use by arbitrators and diversity resources. 

The College of Commercial Arbitrators comprises experienced commercial arbitrators across the United States. The guide is designed to provide practical insights and best practices for practitioners, whether they are seasoned in the field, new to arbitration, or serving as advocates. 

About Hon. Carol E. Heckman (Ret.):
 
With more than 40 years of experience as a trial lawyer and judge, Judge Heckman (Ret.) has an active practice as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and conducts arbitrations in most major metropolitan areas, with a particular concentration in New York City. In addition to arbitrations and mediations, Judge Heckman was selected as a fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, where she serves as co-chair of the education committee and as a member of its board of directors. She is a contributing author to the group’s new edition of Best Practices in Commercial Arbitration, published in June 2025. 

Judge Heckman served as a magistrate judge in the Western District of New York for eight years, where she was selected to sit on the Federal Judicial Conference’s Education Committee for Magistrate Judges and served as an officer in the Federal Magistrate Judges Association. She has also served as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., an assistant U.S. attorney in Buffalo, New York, and as a law clerk for Hon. John T. Curtin, former chief judge of the Western District of New York. 

About Lippes Mathias LLP 

Lippes Mathias is a full-service law firm with nearly 220 attorneys serving clients regionally, nationally, and internationally. With offices in Buffalo, Clarence, Albany, Long Island, New York, Rochester, Syracuse, and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Greater Toronto Area; Chicago, Ill.; Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and West Palm Beach, Fla.; Cleveland, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City, Okla. and Washington, D.C., the firm represents publicly and privately-owned companies, private equity and venture capital firms, independent sponsors, real estate developers, financial institutions, municipalities, governmental entities, and individuals.