Alternative Dispute Resolution
Oct. 30, 2026
Must corporations be represented by counsel in California arbitrations?
Arbitration rules may allow parties to choose their representatives, but applicable law can limit that choice. For California attorney-arbitrators, permitting nonlawyer representation also raises questions about professional responsibility.
Jim Burgess
Jim Burgess is an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association's Healthcare, Commercial and Consumer Panels.
A corporation appears at an arbitration hearing through its president, who is not a lawyer. The president explains that the company cannot afford an attorney and that arbitration is supposed to be less expensive than litigation. The arbitration agreement incorporates rules allowing parties to appear without counsel.
Can the arbitrator permit a nonlawyer to represent the corporation? And, if the arbitrator is a California attorney, does permitting that representation risk violating ...
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$895, but save $100 when you subscribe today… Just $795 for the first year!
Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)
Already a subscriber?
Sign In