One year ago, Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, P.L., South Florida’s preeminent litigation firm, expanded its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practice. Led by founding shareholder Abbey Kaplan, the practice was created to deliver innovative solutions for clients navigating complex legal challenges. 

The Vision Behind the Practice 

As South Florida continues to experience rapid growth, legal disputes have risen in tandem, but the courts aren’t growing at the same pace. With that, the firm expanded its ADR practice to leverage its extensive litigation experience to provide timely, effective resolutions outside the courtroom. 

“ADR is becoming more vibrant,” Abbey Kaplan explains. “I realized that the community needed more experienced people who could mediate matters.” 

With over 150 years of combined legal expertise, the firm’s ADR team — including Jason Marks, Judge Ronald Dresnick, Terri Meyers, and Diane Katzen — are uniquely positioned to address a wide range of disputes, from business and real estate to family law, employment, and intellectual property. 

A New Approach to Legal Resolutions 

The ADR practice was a natural extension of Kluger Kaplan’s renowned litigation services. While the firm has built its reputation on excelling in high-stakes trials, and as all members of the ADR practice are still entrenched in complex matters and continue to litigate, the growing demand for alternative dispute resolution prompted a strategic pivot. 

In its first year, the practice has successfully mediated almost two dozen cases. Kaplan’s approach—grounded in decades of trial experience — offers litigants and their counsel a practical and empathetic perspective on whether to settle or proceed to trial. 

“Mediation is not just about resolving disputes,” Kaplan shares. “It’s about understanding the life experiences of the parties involved and leveraging insights gained from years in the courtroom.” 

Looking Ahead 

As the practice makes its one-year mark as an expanded practice, the Kluger Kaplan ADR team has filled a critical need in the legal landscape, while resolving court backlog. Abbey Kaplan, who will celebrate 50 years in law in 2025, reflects on how his active litigation work informs his effectiveness as a mediator. 

“There’s real value in having mediators who are still in the trenches,” he says. “They understand the pressures and dynamics of today’s legal system and can guide the parties toward resolutions that work for all involved.