Cathy Yanni Appointed as a Special Master in Maui Wildfire Cases

JAMS neutral selected to create and manage individual settlements connected to the Maui wildfire cases

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that distinguished neutral Cathy Yanni has been appointed special master by Hon. Peter T. Cahill of the Maui Second Circuit Court in Hawaii to administer cases arising out of the Maui fires that occurred on August 8, 2023.

Ms. Yanni was appointed along with Hon. Louis M. Meisinger (Ret.), Hon. Daniel J. Buckley (Ret.) and Keith Hunter. She and the joint special masters will create, coordinate and manage the development of the Individual Settlement Plan under the Individual Settlement Agreement. The special masters will also create and oversee the process to administer the Individual Settlement Fund in conjunction with preeminent claims processor BrownGreer PLC.

“For nearly three decades, Cathy has strategically and carefully resolved thousands of complex cases, including for victims of multiple California wildfires. We believe that her attentiveness, diligence and depth of experience handling complex, sensitive matters will be an invaluable asset as these cases move forward,” said Kimberly Taylor, JAMS CEO and president.

Ms. Yanni joined JAMS in 1998 and has settled tens of thousands of cases, facilitated the distribution of billions of dollars in settlement funds to claimants and designed and implemented dozens of claims processes. She became the trustee of the PG&E Fire Victim Trust on July 1, 2022, for which she has overseen the resolution of over 254,000 claims. In June 2019, she was appointed to be the administrator of the Wildfire Assistance Program, a $105 million fund established for victims of the 2017 North Bay Fires and 2018 Camp Fire. She also worked to formulate a resolution program for the 2007 San Diego fire cases, ultimately acting as mediator and arbitrator for the program.

More information about the appointments for the Maui wildfire cases can be found here.

About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.

Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. With a roster of nearly 500 neutrals and 29 locations, JAMS successfully resolves and manages tens of thousands of business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized in-person, virtual and hybrid resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, the latest technology and highly trained mediators and arbitrators.

Building on this foundation, JAMS Pathways focuses on early conflict resolution, facilitation and training. Learn more about JAMS Pathways at jamspathways.com.

More information about JAMS is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and our JAMS ADR blog.