Mass Arbitration: Tactics and Lessons from the Trenches (Presented by The Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting & Convention 2025 sponsor Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A.)

Joseph Windler | Winthrop & Weinstine

Joseph Windler is a trial attorney at Winthrop & Weinstine with extensive experience in litigation, regulatory matters, and business and employment law. In the realm of mass arbitration, Joseph, alongside colleagues Olga and Maggie, has successfully defended clients against large-scale claims, including cases where plaintiffs’ counsel have filed on behalf of over 300 claimants simultaneously. Joseph has honed expertise in developing and executing national defense strategies, developing global settlement frameworks, and advising clients on proactive risk management to mitigate exposure.

Maggie Green | Winthrop & Weinstine

Maggie Green is an attorney at Winthrop & Weinstine with extensive experience in handling large-scale mass arbitrations. In recent years, Maggie, alongside Joseph and Olga, has served as lead counsel in defending clients against substantial waves of arbitrations, with plaintiffs’ counsel bringing claims ranging from forty to over three hundred at a time. Through this work, Maggie has developed expertise in managing complex dockets, streamlining discovery processes, and addressing “near-identical” claims while ensuring consistency in defense strategies.

Olga Rogne | Winthrop & Weinstine

Olga Rogne is a litigator at Winthrop & Weinstine. Together with Joseph and Maggie, Olga has served as lead counsel in defending clients against mass arbitration waves, with plaintiffs’ counsel bringing claims ranging from forty to over three hundred at a time. Olga has considerable expertise in streamlining discovery, managing complex dockets, dealing with resource constraints brought on by the challenge of mass arbitration, and tailoring defenses as new plaintiffs and theories emerge.

I. Current Landscape | 2:00pm – 2:15pm

• The evolution of mass arbitration and its growing impact on corporate defendants
• Key distinctions between mass arbitrations and traditional class actions
• How mass arbitration is being used as a strategic weapon by plaintiffs’ counsel

II. The Economics of Mass Arbitration | 2:15pm – 2:30pm

• How arbitration fees, administrative costs, and procedural efficiencies work to plaintiffs’ advantage
• The leverage gained by plaintiffs through high-volume filings
• The escalating financial and operational burdens on companies challenged with mass arbitrations
• Tactical use of arbitration fees

III. Strategic Challenges for Defense Counsel | 2:30pm – 2:40pm

• Managing large dockets
• Dealing with “near-identical” claims and maintaining consistency in defense
• Resource constraints: legal, financial, and staffing challenges

IV. Practical Defense Approaches | 2:40pm – 2:50pm

• Coordinating a national defense strategy
• How to avoid “silos” in defense strategy and ensuring a unified approach
• Developing global settlement frameworks
• Tailoring defenses as new plaintiffs and theories emerge

V. Best Practices for Managing High-Volume Dockets | 2:50pm – 3:00pm

• Streamlining the discovery process
• Role of case management platforms in tracking deadlines and managing resources
• Proactive risk management techniques for in-house counsel