Marc Cote

Marc Cote is an experienced mediator who serves on the mediator panel of Washington Arbitration and Mediation Service (WAMS). As a mediator, he works tirelessly to get parties to resolution so that they can avoid the expense, uncertainty, stress, and emotional toll of litigation. Marc has a knack for assessing risk and helping parties make reasoned decisions to reach pragmatic resolutions of their disputes. He has successfully mediated hundreds of cases in various areas of law, including employment discrimination, class actions, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, insurance coverage, property damage, wage and hour law, and civil rights. He has significant experience in all aspects of the employment relationship, civil rights, class actions, negligence, and disputes involving closely held businesses. Marc’s considerable experience litigating class action cases has given him a keen sense of the ins and outs of class action settlement structure and the settlement approval process under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 and Washington State Civil Rule 23. He also speaks Spanish and welcomes the opportunity to serve as a mediator for cases involving Spanish-speaking parties. Marc completed the well-regarded “Mediating the Litigated Case” program through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law. He is a certified neutral on the ADR panel for the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington and a pro bono mediator for the EEOC. As an advocate, Marc successfully litigated many wage and hour class actions on behalf of healthcare workers, delivery drivers, restaurant workers, farm workers, and other workers, resulting in precedent-setting decisions in the Washington Supreme Court and many significant settlements. He also successfully represented clients in matters involving LLC and partnership disputes, employment discrimination, and contract disputes. In his past practice, he negotiated numerous employee severance agreements and advised small businesses on employment policies and employee discipline. Marc regularly speaks at seminars, CLEs, and trainings on employment law and mediation issues. He is the co-author of the Wage and Hour Law chapter of the Washington Association for Justice Employment Law Deskbook and serves as co-chair of the ADR Committee of the Federal Bar Association for the United States District Court in the Western District of Washington. Specialties: Mediation Labor and Employment Law Class Action Litigation