Academy Member Inducted 2026
Michele Kern-Rappy
7 Times Square
16th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Video ConferencingAvailable
- Practice Commenced1988
- # of MEDS (as of 9/1/26)6500
- # of ARBS (as of 9/1/26)
Current Practice
Online / In-Person
Biographical
With more than 35 years of experience as the principal mediator for the NY State Unified Court System, Michele Kern-Rappy, Esq., is a seasoned veteran whom clients can trust to optimize their settlement success rate. Having developed and trademarked the court’s unique and award-winning mediation program, she has mediated more than 6,500 commercial and civil disputes as an authority in such areas as pre mises liability and construction, labor law, personal injury, insurance coverage, malpractice, product liability, commercial litigation, employment law, partnership, and family business.
A highly-skilled and renowned professional in her field, Ms. Kern-Rappy offers private lawyers a robust and purposeful approach to mediation that she has finely honed during her extensive career. Bringing an elevated level of trust, tenacity, and transparency to each case she referees, Ms. Kern-Rappy is well recognized and respected as a proficient and dynamic mediator with an enviable settlement rate.
Case Experience
- ADA Disability
- Agricultural
- Appellate
- Automotive
- Banking & Finance
- Business Dissolution
- Class Actions
- Community Associations
- Condominiums
- Construction
- Contract Disputes
- Debt Collections
- Divorce (High Asset)
- EEOC
- Eminent Domain
- Energy Sector (Oil/Gas)
- Engineering
- Entertainment Sector
- Environmental
- ERISA
- Franchise
- Industrial
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property
- Internet
- Labor/Unions
- Land Use/Planning
- Legal Malpractice
- Libel & Slander
- Media & Communications
- Medical Malpractice
- Military
- Mortgage Foreclosure
- Natural Disasters
- Nursing Homes
- Pensions
- Personal Injury
- Pharmaceuticals
- Postal
- Premises Liability
- Probate
- Product Liability
- Professional Fees
- Professional Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- Professional Negligence
- Property Damage
- Railroad & Trucking
- Real Estate
- Religious Institutions
- Sexual Harassment
- Software
- Title Disputes
- Unfair Competition
- Utilities
- Workers' Compensation
Education
- St. John’s University School of Law, Queens, New York
J.D., May 1988 - Baruch College, New York, New York
BBA, January 1985
Memberships & Affiliations
- National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (2026-Present)
- Chief Judge ADR Advisory Committee (April 2018-Present)
- Eastern District of New York Advisory Council (2024-Present)
- WWBA Mediation Committee; Chair (June 2025- Present)
- WWBA Insurance Committee; Chair (2024-Present)
- NYSBA Dispute Resolutions Section’s Insurance Committee; Co-Chair (2024-Present)
- NYSBA Trial Lawyers Mediation and Arbitration Committee; Co-Chair (2024-Present)
- Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York, Board of Directors (2021)
- Task Force on Mental Health and Trauma Impacted Representation (2021-2023)
- New York Women’s Bar Association, ADR Committee, Co-Chair (2016-2021), Member (2021-Present)
- New York County Supreme Court Mediation Law Internship Program, Mentor (2014-2023)
- The American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section (2015-Present)
- New York State Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section, Attorney Advocacy Committee Co-Chair (2019 – 2021), Member (2021-Present)
- New York City Bar, ADR Committee (2018-Present)
- New York State Council on Divorce Mediation (2017-2023)
- New York Association of Collaborative Professionals (2017-2023)
- International Association of Collaborative Professionals (2020-2022)
Rates Information
Please call for details.