Gary Benton is an internationally recognized Arbitrator and Mediator with over thirty years major law firm and in-house technology expertise in both corporate/commercial transactions and litigation/arbitration practice. He focuses on private investment, emerging technologies, intellectual property and international business disputes.
Gary is the founder and currently serves as the Chairman of the Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center in Palo Alto, California.
Gary was previously a partner with the leading international law firms Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Palo Alto and Coudert Brothers LLP in San Francisco and Palo Alto. In addition, he served in an in-house capacity as Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Global Velocity, a next generation Internet cybersecurity company. Gary served as the head of Coudert Brothers’ West Coast International Arbitration Practice and its Northern California Technology, Media and Telecoms group. At Pillsbury, he co-chaired the Silicon Valley international team.
As a practicing attorney, his focus has been on intellectual property, technology law, corporate and securities, venture capital, contracts and commercial, international business and international arbitration. Gary’s technology law career includes extensive experience litigating patent and other IP disputes, managing portfolios of international legal projects for Fortune 500 technology companies, venture financing Silicon Valley tech startups, handling US and international M&A and IPOs, and serving as an Internet cloud security company General Counsel.
Gary is one of only a few arbitration experts with a background in technology, law and international development. He has significant experience as both a litigation partner and a corporate partner in AmLaw 100 firms. He is one of only a few technology arbitration experts with experience as both a partner in a major law firm and as a General Counsel in an emerging technology company. As well, he is one of only a few Silicon Valley arbitration experts with extensive international arbitration experience. Gary’s training as a U.S. and international litigator and arbitration counsel, coupled with his transactional expertise in emerging technology, make him uniquely suited for resolving complex private investment, technology development/distribution and international business disputes.
Gary has handled hundreds of cases in the course of his career. He has substantial experience as a single, presiding and panel arbitrator for U.S. and international commercial arbitrations focused on corporate, commercial and international business transactions, including technology financing, technology development, sales and distribution, IP licensing and IP infringement. His international arbitration experience includes counsel and neutral services involving common law, civil law and developing country matters. He has significant experience with non-US style arbitrations in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
He is a member of the the ICDR International Panel; the American Arbitration Association Commercial Panel (Large & Complex Cases, Corporate Law, Securities, High Technology, Communications & Telecom, Contract Law & General Business Commercial and Intellectual Property specialty panels); the ICDR International Panel; the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution Panel of Distinguished Neutrals; (General & Tech); the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Panel and other major international arbitral institution panels. He has also acted as counsel on International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration and London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) matters.
Gary is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators (CCA), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), and a member of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA) Advisory Board and various other U.S. and international arbitration and legal associations. He was peer-vetted to the SVAMC 2015 List of the World’s Leading Technology Neutrals. He was also selected as a 2015 Super Lawyer.
Gary was also trained by the American Arbitration Association as a Mediator. He assists parties in negotiating business-practical resolution of US. and international business and technology disputes. He handles administered mediations through the American Arbitration Association and the Agency for Dispute Resolution.
Gary is a highly engaged dispute resolver. He developed Dynamic Dispute Resolution™, a model of alternative dispute resolution emphasizing (1) resolution by a neutral who has focused legal and industry expertise in the subject matter of the dispute, (2) a practical methodology directed toward efficiency, cost-savings and party satisfaction with the process, (3) development of processes to meet the desires and requirements of the parties and their counsel, (4) active engagement by the neutral on procedural and substantive issues throughout the process, (5) highest quality decision making, and (6) devotion to the highest ethical standards.
He received his undergraduate degree with honors from Washington University in St. Louis (Earth & Planetary Sciences, Political Science and International Development) and his law degree with honors from Tulane Law School, and engaged in additional legal studies at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and international studies at Stanford University.
Gary is qualified as a U.S. lawyer and an English solicitor. He is admitted in California and the District of Columbia and a member of the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and various federal district courts.
He serves as an Arbitrator and Mediator throughout the U.S. and internationally in administered and ad hoc proceedings.
Gary has handled technology, private investment and international commercial matters in over 80 countries around the world. As well, he speaks frequently and writes regularly on topics concerning technology law and international dispute resolution.