AAA ARBITRATION PANEL OPENS FOR CPAS

By Philip Zimmerman, CPA

As a result of a recent agreement between the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the AICPA, a limited number of CPAs will be listed in one of the AAA's specialized industry panels. Parties to an arbitration proceeding conducted under the aegis of the AAA select their arbitrators from one of the panels. CPAs wishing to be considered for the panels must first file an application with and be nominated by the AICPA. The application and more information can be obtained from Monte Kaplan, AICPA Consulting Services Team, at (212) 596-6061, fax (212) 596-6025, or mkaplan@aicpa.org.

CPAs seeking admission should possess expertise in construction, commercial finance and banking, real estate, technology, energy and utilities, employment issues, telecommunications, or international trade. They should be able to demonstrate that they are persons of integrity that possess sound judgment, a judicial temperament, and good listening skills.

After nomination, the CPA will be interviewed by an AAA representative and requested to prepare a detailed AAA application form, which will be filed with the AAA along with a $300 filing fee. Once accepted to the roster of arbitrators, the CPA will receive AAA training over the following three years.

Parties to disputes select arbitrators from the panel lists maintained by the AAA. The AAA will also promote the selection of CPAs as neutrals for arbitration cases. This is a wonderful opportunity for CPAs to join these normally closed AAA panels. *

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