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Paul M. Lurie

  • Retired Equity Partner
  • Schiff, Hardin LLP
  • 7100 Willis Tower
    233 S. Wacker Drive
  • Evanston, Illinois 60202

Education

  • Undergraduate: JD University of Michigan, 1962 1965
  • Law School: University of Michigan Law School, 1965

Career History

1969-1984  Fohrman, Lurie, Holstein Sklar & Cottle

1984-1987 Lurie, Sklar & Simon

1987-1989  Neal Gerber Eisenberg & Lurie

1989-present Schiff Hardin LLP

 

Biography

I have spent the five year working for broad adoption of the Guided Choice (also known as Guided Mediation) Dispute Resolution tools, which were recognized as useful in the Global Pound Conference’s final reports.  Our primary goal is earlier and more efficient resolutions, increasingly a requirement in clients’ choice of lawyers, mediators, and arbitrators. An important element is overcoming lawyers’ resistance to bringing in mediators as early as possible.

In the construction industry, clients are often unhappy with the expense and length of arbitration or and mediation, having failed to appreciate that these processes can be used in parallel.  I encourage the use of limited arbitrations to resolve impasse issues, conflicting expert opinions, or disagreements about applicable law, as well as the use of mediation during arbitration to help create efficiency. I also encourage the adoption of Zoom-type tools for pre-mediation activities.  Ultimate settlement negotiations can be done live or virtually.

I run the Guided Choice website www.gcdisputeresolutions.com, which has had over 10,000 visits from around the world and continues to be popular as a dispute resolution “Horn Book.”

Professional Activities

  • American College of Construction Lawyers, Founding Fellow, Former Board member, Currently, member, Barry Grove Task Force on Dispute Resolution.
  • International Academy of Mediators
  • International Mediation Institute
  • College of Attorney Arbitrators
  • Academy of Attorney Mediators
  • Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys
  • American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry
  • Illinois Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association

Paul is has been but as of the Fall of 2021, is no longer an  active arbitrator and mediator with the AAA  and is a member of its Master Mediation Panel.  He is also has been a member of the CPR and its committees and neutral panels and arbitrated many large cases, He has a particular focus to reduce the time and expenses of using arbitration and mediation. Since its founding 20+ years ago his 700+-member Mediate and Arbitrate Listserv is a premier educational resource following legal developments in arbitration and mediation and was the basis for the AAA President’s Award. He is a leader of the worldwide Guided Choice Dispute Resolution Interest group that is improving the mediation process to reduce the time and expense of resolving business disputes.

Representative Articles, Publications, Speeches and Seminars

    • “It’s Not Just How Many Cases You Help Settle But When They are Settled,” (co-presenter) Association of Attorney-Mediators (Nov. 13, 2018)
    • “Construction Early Dispute Resolution Fundamentals,” Lorman Education Services, Webinar (Jun. 18, 2018)
    • “Guided Choice,” Association for Conflict Resolution – Chicago Chapter, Chicago, Ill. (May 15, 2018)
    • “Using Guided Choice to Increase Business for Women Mediators,” ABA Dispute Resolution Committee, Women in Dispute Resolution (Apr. 7, 2017)
    • “Using Early Dispute Resolution Techniques to Reduce Delay and Minimize Project Expense,” American Society of Civil engineers – Construction Institute Summit, Anaheim, Calif. (Mar. 3, 2017)
    • “How a Mediator Deals with Unequal Knowledge Between the Parties,” Cook County Mandatory Arbitration & Mediation, Chicago, IL (May 12, 2016)
    • “Using Guided Choice Mediation to Reduce the Expense of the Settlement Process,” American Bar Association Section of Litigation Roundtable, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (Jun. 13, 2014)
    • “Guided Choice: Innovations in Mediation to Get Better Settlements at Less Cost,” American Arbitration Association Webinar (Jun. 10, 2014)
    • “New Innovations in Mediation with Special Focus on Guided Choice Mediation,” (co-presenter) Florida Bar Teleconference, Construction Law Committee, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section (May 12, 2014)
    • “Essential Concepts in Construction Contracts and Administration,” (moderator) Lorman Education Services Webinar (Mar. 18, 2014)
    • “Why Settling Construction Disputes Costs Too Much and How to Get Better Results,” (co-presenter) Construction SuperConference – Pre-Conference Workshop, San Francisco, Calif. (Dec. 11, 2013)
    • “Mediation Using the Guided Choice Process,” (panelist) Critical Issues in Construction Litigation, IICLE, Chicago, Ill. (Oct. 8, 2013)
    • “Critical Elements of Construction Law for the Non-Attorney Arbitrator,” (co-presenter) American Arbitration Association Webinar (Oct. 2, 2013)
    • “Essential Concepts in Construction Contracting and Administration,” (co-presenter) Lorman Education Services Webinar (Sep. 17, 2013)
    • “Drafting Dispute Escalation/Resolution Provisions,” (panelist) Fifth Biennial Construction Projects from Conception to Completion Conference, International Bar Association, Brussels, Belgium (Sep. 6, 2013)
    • “Guided Choice Arbitration,” Commercial Arbitration: Advancing and Refining the ADR Process, DePaul University College of Law Symposium, Chicago, Ill. (Mar. 8, 2013)
    • “Guided Choice Arbitration,” Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, ADR Committee (May 26, 2011)
    • “Why Construction Mediations Fail: Avoiding Common Mistakes,” American Arbitration Association Webinar (May 11, 2011)
    • “Mediation and Arbitration in Real Estate and Construction Disputes,” Strafford CLE Webinar (Apr. 6, 2011)
    • “Practical Considerations and Concerns in Basic Construction Contracting” (co-presenter), Strafford Publications Webinar (Nov. 2, 2010)

  • AWARDS & HONORS

    Illinois Leading Lawyers (2021)

    Law Bulletin’s Illinois Leading Lawyers Network

  • AWARDS & HONORS

    Who’s Who Legal – Mediation (2020)

    Law Business Research

Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of Illinois, 1970 to present
  • Federal District Court Northern District Illinois, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals (5th Cir.) 1985
  • U.S. Court of Appeals (10th Cir.) 1986

Community Activities

The Foundation for Hearing & Speech Rehabilitation, Board member 2005-present

The Family Institute, Northwestern University. Chair & Board Member 1985-2000

Hearing Loss Association of America, Board member 2000-2010. Member, Technology Committee

Moran Center for Restorative Justice 2019-present

Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI. Executive Board 2019-present

 



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