Hiro N. Aragaki, Esq., J.D. (Stanford), Ph.D. (Cambridge), is a Chartered Arbitrator and mediator with more than two decades of experience serving as a neutral. Before joining JAMS, he practiced for nearly ten years at top global law firms, which gives him a deep appreciation of the pressures and strategies that shape high-stakes litigation. His energy, sharp analytic skills, and talent for thinking outside the box has consistently earned the trust of parties and counsel alike.
Dr. Aragaki has served as a neutral in multi-million dollar disputes related to cybersecurity, privacy, data breach, data migration, ERP, telecommunications, AI, cryptocurrency, blockchain, smart contracts, software, eCommerce, domain names, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, international/cross-border transactions, medical devices, manufacturing, IaaS, entertainment, gaming, sports/eSports, and renewable energy, among others. For a list of representative matters, see https://www.jamsadr.com/aragaki/. He is admitted to practice in California, New York, and Washington DC, and is in the Roll of Solicitors (non-practising) of England & Wales.
As an arbitrator, Dr. Aragaki prioritizes pragmatic case management and moving matters efficiently to a hearing on the merits without over-lawyering. He receives praise for his legal acumen and precise award writing, and his commitment to reaching accurate results under the law. He has been appointed as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator, or tribunal chair in over 300 disputes, and is sensitive to the differences between civil and common law approaches to adjudication.
As a mediator, he is known for his thorough preparation and proactive engagement even before the mediation session begins. He works with counsel to balance careful case evaluation, candid reality-testing about risks and costs, deep listening to the needs of the litigants, and creative problem-solving. His cross-cultural perspective—shaped in part by his Japanese and Indian heritage and experience living in the U.K., Germany, and France—enables him to connect with diverse parties and deploy a wide range of directive and facilitative interventions.
Dr. Aragaki is also a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, a Fellow and Chartered Arbitrator with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a member of ICC North America/USCIB’s Arbitration Committee Leadership Council, a member of the ITA Academic Committee, and a former Vice Chair of the ABA International Section’s International Arbitration Committee. He is also a member of the neutral panels of AFSA (Johannesburg); AIAC & ADNDRC; CPR; HKIAC (Panel Arbitrator); ICC (UK Arbitrator Database & USCIB Arbitrator & Mediator Database); JCAA; KCAB; LCIA; SIAC (Panel Arbitrator); THAC (Bangkok); and WIPO.
Hiro Aragaki
