It’s with great sadness that I share the news of the recent passing of Arbitrator Andria Knapp (obituary here) on March 11, 2024. Andria was a mentor and dear colleague to many arbitrators throughout the US. She was an active member of the National Academy of Arbitrators Northern CA Region, and one of the most knowledgeable rail referees in the country. Andria was an energetic leader of our Meet the Arbitrator conferences, a sharp legal mind, and decisive neutral in labor arbitration. She will be missed.
Last October, we lost another great arbitrator: Alexander “Buddy” Cohn (obituary here). Buddy was a true mensch. He loved his cases and his clients, and regaling his colleagues with the twists and turns he encountered in his decades of arbitrating. Like Andria, Buddy was a huge supporter of new arbitrators, often mentor a half dozen at a time or more, recommending them for panels, answering questions, and proposing hypotheticals that new arbitrators were sure to encounter. The past six months without Buddy have demonstrated to many of us what an integral part of the labor management and arbitrator communities he was. We miss his wisdom and humor.
Both Buddy and Andria recognized what their loss illustrates: that we need more labor arbitrators who are early in their careers to ensure the swift administration of workplace justice. If you are interested in becoming a labor arbitrator, or you need recommendations for new panel members for your arbitration panel, please reach out. I’m happy to recommend folks who are rising in the profession, many of whom have learned from the best, like Andria and Buddy.