Les Schiefelbein is an internationally recognized Arbitrator and Mediator with over forty years corporate law and government law expertise in US and International business and technology matters.
Les was previously Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company and a US Air Force Judge Advocate Reserve (Colonel), serving clients on US and international aerospace, national security, technology transactions and arbitration and mediation matters. Les is a founding member and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center.
Les has handled over 400 cases in the course of his career, and has gained particular expertise as a sole, chair or panel arbitrator in commercial and government disputes to include aerospace, aviation, satellites, cybersecurity, national security, and information technology.
He is a member of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Commercial Panel, Large and Complex Cases; International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) International Panel, Aerospace, Aviation and National Security Specialty Panel; International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Court of Arbitration and US member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR; International Panel of Arbitrators, London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA); and the Hague Court of Arbitration for Aviation. He is an accredited mediator with the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) and AAA/ICDR; Panel of Arbitrators, Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the SIAC Users Council; CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals serving on its San Francisco ADR Panel, General Counsel Panel, Cross-Border Panel and Technology Panel; Panelist, Asian International Arbitration Centre; Panelist, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board International; Panelist, The Chinese Arbitration Association, Taiwan; Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration; Japan Commercial Arbitration Association and has acted in matters under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. Les is a member of the USA Subcommittee Member for the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge.
Les is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb); Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators; Member, International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA); Member, New York International Arbitration Center; Member, Society of Satellite Professionals International; Member, Board of Directors, California International Arbitration Council; Member, Dutch Arbitration Association; Member, United States Council for International Business, Arbitration and ADR Committee; Advisory Board, Boston International Arbitration Council; CEO, Global Technology Dispute Resolution Council and Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center’s 2024 list of leading arbitrators and mediators in the technology sector.
Les holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, a Masters of Law in Contracts from the George Washington University Law School, a graduate of the Advanced Executive Program at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and completed the London School of Economics and Political Science executive course on Business, International Relations, and the Political Economy.
In 2018, Les provided an endowment to the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University to establish the Schiefelbein Global Dispute Resolution Program. The Program is in two parts– an annual Global Dispute Resolution Conference and scholarships for law students to gain knowledge, experience and the necessary professional contacts to prepare them for careers in the global dispute resolution community.
He has lectured on arbitration at Keble College, Oxford University, Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Les was the first attorney honored with the Lockheed Martin Career Excellence Award and also honored with the Reginald C. Harmon Award as the Outstanding Air Force Reserve Legal Officer. Les was the 2021 Alumni Service Award recipient by the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Les is a retired Colonel, Air Force Judge Advocate Lawyer. Les participates in the American Bar Association Military Pro Bono Project and counts coaching basketball for 17 years as a great way to relax.
Lester Schiefelbein
