David

W.

Ichel

David W. Ichel is a mediator, arbitrator and court-appointed special master for complex commercial disputes. Before becoming a full-time neutral, David was a long-time partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (New York), wherehe litigated a broad range of large-scale commercial litigation and advised clients for 37 years from 1978-2015. He has also taught Complex Civil Litigation, including ADR for complex litigation, at Duke Law School (2011- present) and University of Miami Law School (2018-2020).

David is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Academy of Court Appointed Neutrals. David has also served on numerous ad hoc and JAMS arbitration panels. He is ranked in Chambers USA as one of the nation’s select Mediators (USA-Nationwide).

Arbitration & Mediation Rosters: David has been appointed to numerous arbitration and mediation rosters, includingAAA/ICDR (Commercial, ICDR and Mediation panels); ICC/USCIB; FedArb; CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution; ARIAS-US; and the New York City Bar Panel for Disputes Among Lawyers/Law Firms. David has also served on numerous ad hoc and JAMS arbitration panels.

Sample Mediation Appointments:

Healthcare: numerous hospital system and other provider claims against health insurance, managed care and other payer organizations, including payment claims,  antitrust claims and contract interpretation issues, contract disputes between pharmaceutical companies and health benefits managers pharmaceutical rebate programs.  

IP/ Pharma Development/ Technology, Trademarks: Bio-pharmaceutical development contract disputes; IP misappropriation claim against major medical research institution and bio pharma company; dispute over Major League Baseball team’s use of new tradename and trademarks; dispute over technological implementation of StateMedicaid data system; dispute over contract for in-store screen display advertising system and placement; trademark litigation between two major online education providers; trade dress and trademark litigation between two major hospital/healthcare systems, trademark and licensing dispute between major pharmacy chain and covid test supplier. 

M&A; Partnerships/ Joint Ventures: Numerous post-acquisition disputes involving both private equity and strategic acquisitions; international dispute over acquisition agreement for resort properties; international dispute overfailure to obtain CFIUS approval of a

cross-border technology company acquisition; dispute over partnership/joint venture and IP arising out of televisionprogram Shark Tank; dispute over private equity acquisition of a data library company; dispute over private equity acquisition of investigations firm; dispute among owners and executives of a major theatrical licensing company; disputes among partners in real estate development ventures; race discrimination claim arising out of failed media joint venture. 

Insurance: media/advertising injury insurance, life insurance marketing practices claims, CGL and environmentalpollution coverage, property and liability coverage for commercial roof collapse; aviation insurance coverage for numerous aircraft, hospital system provider coverage. 

Accountants Liability: litigations and arbitrations against accounting firms arising out of audited company U.S. bankruptcy proceedings and Cayman Islands liquidations. 

Law Firms: Disputes over inter-law firm fee allocation, securities claims and client malpractice claims.

Banking & Securities: Misrepresentation claims against issuers, underwriters and law firms; residential mortgage backed securities disputes, public bond indenture claims; claims by billionaire investor against investment advisory firm, claims against bank for embezzled wire transfers; foreign national investment and borrower claims against Edge Act bank, claims against bank for payment on fraudulent wire transfers and lender liability claims against banks.   

Executive Employment: Various cases involving termination, discrimination, benefits and non-compete and non-solicitation claims as well as salary, wage claims and claims against payment system provider.

Supply and Distribution:. Litigations over food and beverage (soft drinks and alcohol) distributor terminations and product claims, solar energy project claims against manufacturer of heat transformers, chain store hardware supply.

Real Estate/ Construction: Disputes over major building foreclosure and lender liability, air rights sales, limited partner claims.

Bankruptcy/ Liquidator Trustee Claims: against failed solar energy plant equipment suppliers, accounting firms.

Sample Arbitration Appointments:

Healthcare: dispute between major university hospital system and managed care organization/ insurer over Medicare Advantage reimbursement (chair); dispute between medical provider and managed care organization/insurer over Medicare Advantage reimbursement (sole); life and health insurance company dispute with Third Party Administratorfirm (chair); dispute between healthcare benefits/ financial services companies over joint venture termination and non-compete provisions (sole arbitrator).

IP/ Bio-Pharma Development: bio pharma unfair competition and IP claims (sole arbitrator); 

pharmaceutical acquisition and product development milestones dispute (party-appointed); IP and contract dispute between plant food inventor and major fresh fruit company (party-appointed); IP dispute involving cross-border alcohol beverage brand license (party-appointed); bio-pharma IP settlement agreement claims between two bio-pharma companies (sole arbitrator). 

Partnerships/ Joint Ventures/ M&A: Dispute between resort hotel owner and hotel/resort management group (chair); AmLaw 50 law firm dispute over termination of a former partner (sole arbitrator); energy infrastructure manufacturing joint venture dispute (party- appointed); liquidation of partnership dispute involving television, movie and theatrical prop rentals and sales (sole arbitrator); hospital purchase agreement dispute (party-appointed); disputes over a big-box retail inventory control company acquisition transition services agreement (sole arbitrator). 

Insurance and Reinsurance: luxury hotel developer dispute with all risk insurer over water damage and business interruption/ project delay claims (chair); pharma plant closing and recall insurance dispute (chair); property insurance dispute between healthcare company and insurers concerning named- storm hurricane and flood coverage (chair); liability insurance dispute concerning mass product liability exposure (party-appointed--insurer); productrecall insurance dispute (party-appointed--policyholder); environmental pollution insurance coverage dispute (party- appointed--insurer); two covid-19 coverage arbitrations between insurers and large corporate policyholders (party-appointed--insurer); representations & warranties insurance dispute (party- appointed—insurer); liability insurance dispute concerning accidental death (party- appointed--insurer); directors & officers insurance dispute (party-appointed—insurer). 

Supply & Distribution Agreements: international jet fuel supply contract dispute (sole arbitrator); major soft drink company distributor termination dispute (party-appointed); major alcohol beverage companies’ product IP and licensing dispute (party-appointed); refrigerant supply contract termination dispute (party-appointed).

Banking & Finance: organization of multiple credit unions dispute with loan origination and underwriting firm (party-appointed); international corporate investor dispute with major international bank (party-appointed).

Other Commercial: construction dispute involving construction of telephone and wireless facilities (party-appointed).

Recent Publications and Speaking Engagements: "Mediating the Billion Dollar Case," New York Law Journal (September 30,2025); "Is there an Arbitrator Role in Addressing Settlement with the Parties," ARIAS-US Quarterly (Q3 2025); "Testing Your Arbitration Dispute in a Mock Arbitration," New York Law Journal (March 15, 2024); "How to Avoid and Break Mediation Impasse," New York Law Journal (Oct. 24, 2023); "Arbitrator Selection

Is a Key Component of the Arbitration Process," New York Law Journal (Aug. 16, 2023); Panel Moderator & Speaker, "Arbitrator Disclosures: Too Restrictive, Too Lax? Just Right?," at ARIAS-US 2023 Spring Meeting (May 19, 2023); Panel Speaker, "Admit It! You Want to Discuss Rules of Evidence & Process in

Arbitrations," ARIAS-US 2022 Spring Meeting (May 12, 2022); "A Bridge Too Far? An Expert Panel Examines the Promise and Peril of Third-Party Litigation

Financing," 103-3 Judicature 48 ( Fall 2019); P. Halprin, D. Ichel and P. Rosen, "Introducing the ARIAS-US Panel Rules for Resolution of Insurance and Contract Disputes", Mondaq (October 12, 2019); "Has Shoe Run Its Course: How will recent Supreme Court decisions on personal jurisdiction impact the legacy of International Shoe and the future of complex litigation?", 103-2 Judicature 64

(Spring 2019); "A New Guard at the Courthouse Door: Corporate Personal Jurisdiction After the Supreme Court's Decision Quartet," 71 Rutgers L.Rev.1

(2018); Comparing Policyholder Arbitrations to Reinsurance Arbitrations, ARIAS-US Quarterly (Q2-2018) (with Carlos A. Romero, Jr.). 

Select Activities: Duke Law School Board of Visitors (2005-present; chair 2009-2014), Judicature Editorial Board (2016-2022; chair 2020-2022); Mobilization for Justice Inc. (Board,1994-2018; Chair 2000-02; Emeritus, 2018-2024); Advisory Boards: Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School (2020-present, chair 2025-), University of Miami Class Action & Complex Litigation Forum (2018-present); Member: Miami International Arbitration Society (2018-present);American Law Institute (1993-present); Federal Bar Council (1982-present); New York City Bar Ass’n (1979-present).Instructor level scuba diver.

  Education:

Duke University School of Law (J.D. 1978), cum laude, Staff Editor, Duke Law Journal. 

Duke University (A.B. 1978), summa cum laude, phi beta kappa