John M. Alton

In 2020 John Alton was nominated for membership in NADN by the only two Central Ohio lawyers who were members of NADN.

Alton's experience since 1977 is almost equally divided between defense lawyer, plaintiff lawyer and private mediator.

From 1977-1994 John Alton was a defense lawyer and Trial Department Chair (1985-1994) of 25+ attorneys. At Lane Alton (without a mediator) Alton settled 1,500+ cases involving medical negligence, product liability, significant vehicular collisions, unsafe premises, political subdivision culpability, construction accidents and other tortious conduct; and (2) legal malpractice, insurance coverage disputes and business litigation. 

Between 1994-2019 John Alton represented plaintiffs and continued to settle cases without a mediator - utilizing a mediator less than 15 times. 

John Alton's premise since his first mediation as a mediator in 2008 is that if he settled 1,500+ cases without a mediator, why shouldn't he be able to settle cases as a mediator?

John Alton has been approved and retained as a mediator by scores of defense and plaintiff lawyers, insurance companies, hospitals, long term care facilities, political subdivisions, product and medical device product manufacturers and numerous other individuals and entities.

John Alton is one of two Ohio lawyers to have ever  served as State Chair (2017-2019) in Ohio of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and President (2022) of the Ohio Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). ACTL was founded in 1950 and ABOTA in 1958.

in 2023 John Alton received the Michael F. Colley Award from ABOTA's Ohio Chapter. Colley was President of National ABOTA in 1997.

Types of cases John Alton has mediated include medical negligence, product liability, trucking / transportation, human trafficking, construction accidents, medical device product liability, 1983 actions, political subdivision liability, legal malpractice, nursing home and long term care negligence, workplace injury, negligent security, intentional tort, asbestos injury, hospitality, premises liability, serious personal injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation, employment, eminent domain, insurance coverage, school law, CSPA, First Amendment and defamation.

Since 2015 John Alton has spoken often on "ALERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION" at professional meetings and conventions of several Ohio and national trial lawyer organizations.

Duke University, Cum Laude with Distinction in Psychology (B.A., 1974)

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (J.D., 1977)

Ohio Super Lawyers (2021-present, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Top 50 Columbus Lawyers) 

National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (www.NADN.org: 2020-present)

Ohio Supreme Court Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution (1996-1998)

American College of Trial Lawyers (2000-present); Ohio's State Committee (2009-2023) and State Chair (2017-2019)

American Board of Trial Advocates (1996-present); Ohio Chapter's Michael F. Colley Award Recipient (2023), President (2022) and Membership Chair (2023-present)

National Board of Trial Advocacy (Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy, 1997-2010)

International Association of Defense Counsel (1985-1994)

Columbus Bar Association (1977-present); Professional Ethics Committee (1997-1999)

Ohio Super Lawyers (2004-2020, Plaintiff Medical Malpractice)

Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys (1992-2020, Defense and Plaintiff Medical Malpractice)

Best Lawyers (2008-present); Professional Malpractice Lawyer of the Year (2020)

John Alton's hourly rate is $400 for all aspects of preparation, the mediation (or arbitration) itself and post mediation (or arbitration) involvement for review of additional written materials, phone conferences, email exchanges, correspondence and/or mediator proposals or written decisions post arbitration hearings.

John's hourly rate is $250 for travel to and from mediation venues outside of Central Ohio.

John does not charge for expenses such as parking, hotels, food, mileage, etc. for Ohio-venued mediations. However, if John Alton advances the expense to reserve mediation meeting rooms at hotels or other venues, those costs will be included on mediation invoices. 

If it is necessary for to travel by air to mediate outside of Ohio, costs incurred for air travel, hotels and other mediation related expenses will be included on mediation invoices.