Hon. Bernice Bouie Donald (Ret.) Honored With the Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award by the American College of Trial Lawyers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – JAMS, the premier provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that Hon. Bernice Bouie Donald (Ret.) was honored with the Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award by the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). The award was presented on Oct. 23 during the organization's 2026 annual meeting at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Established in 1980, the Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award recognizes a lawyer or judge who has made significant contributions to improving the litigation process. The award honors individuals whose work has advanced the administration of justice through legal practice, judicial service, education, scholarship or the development of significant programs and initiatives. Judge Donald is the sixth woman to receive the award, which has been presented 29 times since its inception.

“Throughout her remarkable career, Judge Donald has broken barriers and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fairness and justice. Her historic achievements, judicial leadership and dedication to mentoring future generations reflect the profound influence she has had on the legal profession and the communities she has served.” 

Kimberly Taylor, JAMS CEO and president

Judge Donald is a JAMS mediator and arbitrator with more than 40 years of legal and judicial experience, including more than 11 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She served on the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee and the General Sessions Criminal Court for Shelby County, Tennessee. Throughout her judicial career, she adjudicated complex federal matters and authored hundreds of opinions involving commercial, bankruptcy, civil rights, employment, securities, antitrust, intellectual property, insurance and product liability disputes. Her experience also includes multidistrict litigation, class actions and mass torts.

Earlier in her career, Judge Donald practiced law in the private and public sectors and held leadership positions in national legal organizations. Since retiring from the bench in 2023, she has focused on ADR, serving as a mediator, arbitrator, special master and neutral evaluator in complex disputes.Bottom of Form

About JAMS – The Way Forward

JAMS is the premier provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, with more than 500 neutrals across 29 locations. In 2025, JAMS received nearly 22,000 new case filings and handled more than 28,000 matters during the year. Founded in 1979, the organization’s distinguished panel includes retired federal and state court judges, former litigators, transactional attorneys and other ADR professionals with deep industry and practice area experience.

JAMS offers customized in-person, virtual and hybrid resolution services to provide a seamless experience through concierge-level client care, highly skilled case managers and advanced technology.

Building on this foundation, JAMS Pathways provides organizations with early conflict resolution, facilitation and training, helping teams prevent disputes before they escalate.

With a legacy of trust and innovation, JAMS helps parties find the way forward so they can focus on what matters most. Learn more at www.jamsadr.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and the JAMS ADR blog.