Keith W. Hunter is the founder, President and CEO of Dispute Prevention & Resolution, Inc. (DPR). DPR is Hawaii’s most experienced full service ADR firm and specializes in the design and administration of a wide range of dispute avoidance, resolution, settlement and adjudication processes. Mr. Hunter manages all aspects of the DPR operation including: case management and administration, policy development, marketing and outreach, education and training, and business development. Under his direction, DPR, Inc. has earned a reputation for prompt and efficient case management and for bringing a wide range of business and legal disputes to cost-effective resolution. Mr. Hunter maintains a very active ADR practice in which he frequently serves as a Mediator, Arbitrator, Special Master, Dispute Review Board Member, Partnering Retreat Facilitator, ADR process design specialist, and ADR training specialist.

During his 35-year career in dispute resolution, Mr. Hunter formerly served as the founder and Regional Vice President of the Hawaii office of American Arbitration Association and as the Executive Director of the Center for International Commercial Dispute Resolution. Having administered over 10,000 ADR proceedings, he brings a wealth of experience in and knowledge of all aspects of dispute resolution to the work of DPR and to the service of its clients. Mr. Hunter has authored or co-authored numerous articles, monographs, and two books (Hawaii Arbitration Law and Hawaii Arbitration Law Periodical) covering a wide spectrum of ADR-related issues and topics.

Mediation Services

Mr. Hunter has successfully served as a Mediator in approximately 6,000 disputes/claims/lawsuits including:

• Over 1,400 construction, design and defect disputes (e.g. Aloha Stadium litigation, U. H. Women’s Softball Stadium dispute, The Kalia Tower Mold litigations, hundreds of AOAO/Condo multi issue disputes, delay/acceleration claims, changed conditions, change orders, architectural/engineering/design disputes, mechanical issues, flood cases, soils/landslide/drainage issues, termite damage cases, mold contamination issues, fire damage claims, storm-related damage claims including hurricane and earthquake damage claims and surety/bonding disputes). Many of the construction defects cases have involved from fifteen to as many as thirty- five parties.
• Over 50 construction defect cases on the West Coast (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Phoenix, San Diego, Pleasanton, San Jose, Burlingame, Sacramento, and Las Vegas)
• The Ka Loko Dam failure case involving 8 wrongful death claims and 30 property damage claims.
• Class action claims involving allegedly defective high zinc brass plumbing joints. Mediations have involved class action litigations in Las Vegas, Nevada relating to 35,000 homes and various class action claims in Hawaii involving hurricane straps.
• Class action claims involving mold infestation, wage/hour, bank fees, auto issues and securities matters.
• Over 500 transactional and DROA real estate disputes involving residential, investment and commercial property.
• Over 300 condominium matters involving Boards of Directors, AOAOs, individual owners, governance issues, defect claims, management issues, etc.
• A wide range of insurance issues including first and third party liability, UM and UIM, worker’s compensation, coverage disputes, bad faith litigation, and a wide array of subrogation claims.
• Over 500 cases involving a wide range of physical and emotional injury claims including serious brain injury and catastrophic physical injury. Many cases have involved the use of structured settlements.
• Over 300 medical malpractice cases involving a wide range of issues and claims.
• Over 250 wrongful death claims including the Uyesugi/Xeroxwrongful death civil litigation, the Kaloko Dam case and the Palolo Fire litigation.
• Over 30 Aviation accident cases involving serious injury and death.
• Several dozen cases involving recreational injuries and death (zip line, parasail, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking).
• Over 400 Employee/employer issues including wrongful termination, retaliatory discharge, sexual harassment, corporate policy issues, civil rights, age, gender and race discrimination claims, and ADA compliance issues.
• Environmental and ground pollution issues including claims for stigma and blight damages and insurance coverage issues arising from said claims.
• Over 200 product liability claims and related litigations involving machinery, recreational vehicles, construction equipment and automobiles.
• Served as court-appointed Mediator in the Federal multi-party litigations involving the Latex Glove cases.
• Over 20 matters concerning alleged Clergy abuse claims.
• Numerous professional negligence claims including legal malpractice, insurance brokerage issues, investment disputes and accounting malpractice claims.
• Dozens of highly complex divorce and domestic law matters.
• Trust cases involving family businesses and assets.
• Hospital management and governance issues.
• Claims for commissions between brokers and agencies.
• Financial and lender liability disputes.
• Mortgage foreclosure disputes.
• Consumer claims against stock brokerage firms for alleged account mismanagement and unauthorized trading.
• Small business and professional partnership dissolution (i.e. law firms, accountancy firms, dental practices, general contracting firms, design partnerships and medical practices).
• Family and closely-held business disputes including succession issues and management challenges.
• Complex land use/development issues.
• Technology, telecommunication systems and computer-related issues including software, programming, system failure/poor performance claims and licensing disputes.
• Attorney/client fee disputes.
• Mr. Hunter successfully mediated the highly complex dispute through the Bankruptcy Court concerning the acquisition and sale of the Embassy Suites Hotel in Maui.
• Mr. Hunter also served as Co-Mediator in the mediation of the United Airlines and Airline Flight Attendants’ Union national contract negotiation in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Mr. Hunter regularly works closely with trial and settlement judges in both the State and Federal courts as a co-mediator and settlement master in a wide range of complex civil and personal injury matters.

Arbitration Services

Mr. Hunter has served as an Arbitrator in over 350 matters in a wide variety of disputes including: complex construction and design disputes, claims/disputes concerning construction of residential and commercial projects, hotel management agreements, development rights, land owner/hotel developer disputes, employment contract claims, labor/management grievances (issues have included contract interpretation, discipline, discharge, sick leave policy, theft seniority, overtime policies, temporary assignment practices, severance pay and benefits, legal holiday issues, promotion testing and demotion), a wide range of real property disputes, uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, serious personal injury and wrongful death matters, medical malpractice disputes and partnership dissolution issues. He also serves as a Special Master/Mediator in CD litigation.

He has also served as a Mediator/Arbitrator in several MED/ARB proceedings primarily involving construction disputes and has been appointed as the Neutral Umpire in insurance related litigation/appraisal proceedings concerning the extent of damages claimed by policyholders.

Mr. Hunter has also served as a member of construction industry Dispute Review Boards on projects ranging in size from 1.85 million to 45 million dollars, and has lectured and written extensively on Partnering and Dispute Review Boards.

Mr. Hunter has also served as a court-appointed Discovery/Settlement Masteron several highly complex litigation matters.

Fact-Finding/Neutral Investigation Services

Mr. Hunter has served as a Neutral Investigator/Fact-Finder in approximately 25 matters involving a wide range of issues and claims including: alleged workplace harassment, unacceptable employee performance, dishonesty, abusive behavior, theft and conversion, workplace rule violations, breaches of corporate confidentiality, threats of violence between co-workers, claims of unreported criminal work history, discrimination, alleged nepotism practices, alleged violations of employer sexual conduct policies, and wrongful dismissal.

Partnering Services

During his career as a neutral, Mr. Hunter has served as a Partnering Retreat Leader for over 50 construction projects ranging in size from $600,000 to well over $100,000,000 in Hawaii, the mainland USA, and Canada. He has also designed and provided Partnering Retreat facilitation services for private contracts, public works projects, strategic alliances, joint ventures and renovation projects. Mr. Hunter served as the lead Facilitator for the Hawaii State Senate Partnering/Teambuilding Retreat, the Hawaii State Senate Partners Retreat, The Department of Human Resource Development organization retreat, and the Hawaii Visitor Industry Partnering/Teambuilding Retreat that was convened by the Hawaii Visitor & Convention Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Hunter has also coordinated and served as the Neutral Facilitator for five mock jury trials. He has also served as a Facilitator/Meeting Manager for condominium leasehold discussions, tourism issues, legislative policy discussions, budget/finance meetings, employer/employee relations issues, collaborative bargaining sessions, internal corporate governance issues, strategic planning processes, land development forums, numerous public meetings, ocean resource planning, and community and governmental management issue sessions. He was recently appointed by the Center for ADR to design and facilitate the Aircraft Noise and Nuisance Abatement Process through a series of statewide public/aviation industry meetings.

Professional Activities

Mr. Hunter conducts educational and training seminars for private and public organizations, advocates, neutrals, trade and industry organizations, and consumers of ADR services. He has taught MBA courses in Negotiation and ADR Skills at Hawaii Pacific University. A frequent public speaker, Mr. Hunter has lectured extensively on ADR and Partnering throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, the Asia-Pacific region, Canada, and the mainland United States.

Mr. Hunter is an active panel member of the Hawaii State Judiciary-Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution, the Hawaii Labor Relations Board, and the National Association of Securities Dealers. He is a member of the H.S.B.A. Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution and a national member of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution.

In early 2015, Mr. Hunter was appointed to the Federal Judicial Selection Commission by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. In April 2015, Governor David Ige appointed Mr. Hunter to the Hawaii Judicial Selection Commission for a six-year term.

Mr. Hunter’s volunteer and community service activities include: past service as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau (Hawaii Chapter), national membership in the American Judicature Society, President of the ACR Board of Directors Hawaii Chapter for 2005-2006.

Mr. Hunter is a graduate of San Francisco State University where he studied land use and business.