Joan Protess & Associates (JP&A) was founded by attorney Joan Protess in 1991.  JP&A is located in Chicago, Illinois, and specializes in providing dispute resolution services in commodity futures, securities, employment, and other commercial matters.  JP&A currently offers a range of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services, including mediation, dispute avoidance, negotiation, advocacy, development of ADR programs, and training in ADR methods.  

Since 1991, JP&A has become a recognized provider in the growing field of mediation.  For the past thirteen years, JP&A has served as the administrator of the fully-subsidized mediation program of the National Futures Association's (NFA).  In that capacity, JP&A has pioneered the effective use of telephonic mediation of disputes.  JP&A has successfully mediated over 1000 NFA commodity futures cases, steadily improving our settlement rate over the years.  During the one-year contract period ending June 30, 2003, JP&A settled 93% of the NFA cases involving claims under $150,000 which we mediated and 100% of the claims over $150,000 which we mediated.  In addition, JP&A has mediated, both telephonically and in-person,  futures and commercial disputes filed before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

JP&A also has successfully mediated , both telephonically and in person, numerous securities and commercial disputes filed before the NASD Regulation, Inc.  In fact, JP&A has mediated approximately 400 NASD cases and settled at least 95% of these matters.  Additionally, JP&A has successfully mediated securities disputes filed before the American Arbitration Association, the New York Stock Exchange, as well as various federal and state courts.  JP&A also has successfully mediated employment, ERISA and other commercial matters.

JP&A mediators, Joan Protess and Karen Wentzell, have produced this successful track record by developing reputations as knowledgeable, honest and fair mediators, thereby earning the respect of litigants and their attorneys.