Hon. Joan N. Feeney (Ret.) joined JAMS in 2019 following almost 27 years on the bench of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts and 23 years as a member of the United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the First Circuit. As a judge, Judge Feeney presided over a full range of cases, including complex commercial cases with multiple parties and interests. While on the bench, she wrote over 500 opinions in many different areas of the law. Judge Feeney now serves as a mediator, arbitrator, and neutral evaluator in all types of two-party and multi-party disputes, concentrating in bankruptcy, business, and employment law. She has developed a robust national practice as a neutral at JAMS.
Judge Feeney earned a reputation from the start of her career for being a supremely capable lawyer who always treated everyone with the utmost respect and civility. She has an incomparable ability to distill even the most complex case down to its essence, while still minding the details.
Impartial, compassionate, candid, fair-minded, tireless and a brilliant jurist are words that counsel have used to describe Judge Feeney. Her people skills are unparalleled, and she is able to offer compelling solutions to individuals with differing personalities. As a mediator, Judge Feeney has developed a reputation as meticulously well-prepared, open-minded, and empathetic. Given her experience as an author, appellate judge, and trial judge, Judge Feeney enjoys delving into complex matters, both factual and legal, and writes detailed arbitration awards with thorough reasoning. Her professional background also lends itself well to handling neutral analysis matters, such as moot courts and mock trial exercises, including both state and federal appellate matters.
