What Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service does

Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service (WAMS) is a privately held alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with a second office in Tacoma. Founded in 1981 by attorney Michael S. Gillie as Washington Arbitration Services and rebranded under its current name, the firm offers mediation and arbitration services through a panel of more than 20 certified mediators and arbitrators organized by practice area (commercial, personal injury, employment, environmental, property/probate). WAMS is an affiliate of the United States Arbitration & Mediation (USA&M) franchised network, which operates ADR providers across the U.S., Europe, and Canada.

WAMS delivers its core services through in-person hearings at 15 conference rooms split between the Seattle headquarters (eight rooms in Two Union Square) and the Tacoma office (seven rooms at the Port Business/Fabulich Center), and through video-conference proceedings for remote participants. The product portfolio includes standard mediation and binding/non-binding arbitration, an Express Mediation Option for disputes at or below $100,000 (a 3-hour session at $750 per party), specialized arbitration panels for commercial and personal injury/UIM matters, and a Short-Notice Calendar showing mediator availability within two weeks.

WAMS earns revenue on a professional services fee-for-case basis, with mediation and arbitration fees shared equally between the disputing parties per published fee schedules. Demand is sourced primarily from attorney and court referrals, bar association networks, and direct party contact across Washington state. No public revenue or financial disclosures are available, and there are no signs of external funding, M&A activity, or recent leadership transitions in the input data.

Name

Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service

Legal name

Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service

Website

https://usamwa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service (WAMS) is a Seattle-based ADR provider founded in 1981, offering mediation and arbitration through a panel of 20+ neutrals across two Washington state offices for law firms, insurers, corporations, and litigants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Other Legal Services (54119), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Alternative dispute resolution
• Mediation and arbitration
• Commercial arbitration services
• Conflict resolution services
• Neutral mediation panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Mediation Services: Mediation services provided through panel of professional neutrals. Fees are shared equally by parties. Includes standard mediation and Express Mediation Option for smaller disputes.
2. Arbitration Services: Arbitration services for binding and non-binding dispute resolution. Each party responsible for its share of arbitration fees per Rules of Arbitration.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service (WAMS) provides professional mediation and arbitration services through a panel of more than 20 certified neutral mediators and arbitrators, resolving civil, commercial, personal injury, employment, environmental, insurance, and property disputes outside of court. The firm operates from offices in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, with 15 conference rooms supporting in-person hearings and video-conference mediation for remote participants.

Product overview

Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service (WAMS) operates as a dispute resolution service provider offering two core services: mediation and arbitration. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Seattle with a second office in Tacoma, the organization provides professional conflict resolution through certified neutral panels. The service portfolio includes standard mediation and arbitration, an Express Mediation Option for smaller claims under $100,000, video conferencing capabilities for virtual sessions, and in-person hearing facilities with 15 total conference rooms. WAMS maintains specialized panels organized by dispute type including commercial, personal injury, employment, environmental, and property matters, with over 20 individual mediators and arbitrators on staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United States Arbitration & Mediation (USA&M)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAMS is part of the United States Arbitration & Mediation network of dispute resolution providers. USA&M provides a franchised network of ADR businesses throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services): JAMS is the largest private ADR provider in the US, offering mediation, arbitration, and related services with a deep panel of retired judges and attorneys across major markets. WAMS competes head-to-head with JAMS in commercial and complex disputes and is a direct regional alternative within the same national ADR category.
• American Arbitration Association (AAA): AAA is the dominant national arbitration body, administering arbitration and mediation across commercial, construction, labor, and consumer disputes. WAMS offers an alternative regional ADR forum with binding arbitration and mediation similar to AAA's core services.
• CPR Dispute Resolution (International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution): CPR is a nonprofit ADR institution providing arbitration, mediation, and dispute prevention services primarily to corporate counsel and commercial parties. WAMS's Commercial Arbitration Panel targets the same corporate/commercial dispute resolution segment.

Direct peers

• Resolute Systems: Resolute Systems is a national ADR firm offering mediation, arbitration, and special master services through a panel of retired judges and attorneys. It mirrors WAMS's panel-based neutral model and competes for the same commercial and tort case flow.
• National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM): NAM provides arbitration and mediation services nationally with a roster of experienced neutrals and a focus on cost-effective, expedited dispute resolution. It competes with WAMS for both commercial and personal injury/UIM arbitration matters.
• Dispute Resolution Management (DRM): DRM is a private ADR provider specializing in mediation and arbitration for commercial, construction, employment, and personal injury disputes with a panel-based neutral model. It mirrors WAMS's service portfolio and panel structure closely.
• ADR Solutions: ADR Solutions is a privately held ADR provider offering mediation, arbitration, and special master services with a panel of retired judges and attorneys. It directly parallels WAMS in business model, panel structure, and target customer segments.
• ARC Mediation & Arbitration: ARC Mediation is a private ADR firm offering mediation and arbitration services with multiple offices and a roster of neutrals. It is comparable to WAMS in service scope, panel-based neutral model, and target client base.

Others

• United States Arbitration & Mediation (USA&M): USA&M is the parent franchised network of which WAMS is a member, providing ADR services across the U.S., Europe, and Canada. It is directly comparable as a sister organization under the same brand and operating model.
• International Dispute Resolution, Ltd. (IDR): IDR is a sister organization within the USA&M franchise ecosystem providing international arbitration and mediation services. It shares WAMS's ADR operating model and franchised origin, making it a directly comparable affiliated entity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service