Jill R. Sperber

For several years, Ms. Sperber has practiced exclusively in the Irell & Manella Alternative Dispute Resolution Center headed by former U.S. District Court Judge Layn R. Phillips. Ms. Sperber has been involved in the mediation and/or arbitration of more than five hundred disputes, many of which have been complex, high-stakes, and multi-party matters. Her alternative dispute resolution efforts have included anti-trust, class action, employment, multi-district litigation, intellectual property, insurance coverage, securities, subprime lending, real estate, and trademark and copyright disputes. Ms. Sperber has served as mediator, arbitrator, co-mediator, and liaison to arbitration panels. In addition to helping parties reach substantial resolutions, including settlements with billion dollar values, Ms. Sperber has had an integral role in cultivating resolutions involving innovative and effective non-monetary settlement components.

Ms. Sperber assists and co-mediates with Judge Phillips, and in this capacity has served several district courts in connection with Judge Phillips' appointment as Special Master. Ms. Sperber is significantly involved in both pre and post ADR session efforts, including designing the protocols and structure for the process. Frequently, in advance of an ADR session, Ms. Sperber works with the parties on critical issues to ensure that the parties' in-person ADR session can be conducted as efficiently and effectively as possible. Where matters do not resolve during the scheduled ADR session, Ms. Sperber regularly conducts ADR follow-up work, continuing the mediation process with telephonic caucus sessions, and where appropriate, working with the parties in connection with mediator recommendations.

Prior to committing to a full-time ADR docket, for nearly ten years, Ms. Sperber litigated high stakes, complex business matters in many areas, including intellectual property, contract, real estate, employment, securities, regulatory, and white collar matters, at Irell & Manella and at a prestigious, international law firm. Ms. Sperber also has worked as settlement counsel.

Before joining Irell & Manella, Ms. Sperber served as a law clerk to the Hon. Gary L. Taylor (Ret.) of the Central District of California, and the Hon. Ferdinand F. Fernandez of the Ninth Circuit and as an extern to Judge Leonard B. Sand of the Southern District of New York.

The combination of Ms. Sperber's judicial clerkship experiences, complex litigation work, and extensive ADR experiences have made her an integral part of the Irell & Manella ADR Center.

Pro Bono & Service

Throughout her career, Ms. Sperber has demonstrated a strong commitment to pro bono service. For example, she has served as an advocate on behalf of individuals involved in housing and business disputes. Ms. Sperber was a key member of the Irell & Manella litigation team in connection with a federal civil rights action, which resulted in a significant settlement on behalf of the homeless in Laguna Beach. The ACLU Foundation of Southern California awarded the firm’s litigation team, including Ms. Sperber, the 2010 Social Justice Award for their work on this matter. 

Since 2005, Ms. Sperber has been an active member of the Sonenshine Pro Bono Opportunities Committee, which is an annual Orange County event that provides a forum for local pro bono organizations to introduce themselves to new members of the legal community. Ms. Sperber has served on the Public Law Center Volunteers for Social Justice Dinner Committee, co-chairing its Auction Committee in 2009. Ms. Sperber was an attorney coach for a local high school’s Constitutional Rights Foundation Mock Trial Team. 

Ms. Sperber also has served the local community as a former founding board member and executive steering committee member of the project-based charter school, Community Roots Academy, and as a member of the Leave Only Footprints committee of Morasha Day School, which provided an annual environmental event for the Orange County area that was geared towards children and families.

Bar & Court Admissions

• 2000, New Jersey
• 2001, New York
• 2006, California
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth and Federal Circuits
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York