Shawn Aiken devotes his practice exclusively to arbitration and accepts new appointments only through the AAA and ICDR.

Shawn has served as an arbitrator since 1995, with more than 300 appointments and more than 160 awards. He serves as sole arbitrator and frequently chairs three-member panels in complex commercial disputes. His arbitration practice draws on more than 30 years of litigation and trial experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes.

His experience as sole arbitrator includes commercial claims ranging from $200,000 to $250 million. His cases have involved business sales and failed mergers; partnership, shareholder, and corporate governance disputes; technology and intellectual property licensing; real estate transactions and valuation; franchise relationships; healthcare businesses and medical services agreements; and lending and financial services. He has also resolved disputes involving trade secrets, unfair competition, executive employment, restrictive covenants, fraud, and breaches of fiduciary duty.

Shawn has extensive experience with complex economic damages, including lost profits, business and asset valuation, loss causation, and mitigation. His work has involved financial statements, accounting principles, expert damages models, and statistical analyses.

He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the College of Commercial Arbitrators. He has been listed among Super Lawyers’ “Top 50 Arizona Lawyers” from 2009 through 2026. Best Lawyers in America selected him as Phoenix Lawyer of the Year for Arbitration in 2019, 2021, and 2026, and for Mediation in 2012 and 2015.

In September 2026, Shawn was selected for the American Arbitration Association’s AI Ambassador program and serves on its AI-Driven Commerce & Automated Transactions Working Group.

Before retiring from mediation in February 2026, Shawn mediated more than 1,100 cases.

For further information, visit shawnaiken.com.

BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS

• Arizona, 1983

• U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, 1983

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1983

• Supreme Court of the United States, 2010

EDUCATION

• Arizona State University, J.D., 1983

• St. Olaf College, B.A., cum laude, 1980

SELECTED ADR TRAINING

Arbitration

• AAA, Dealing With Delay Tactics in Arbitration, 2007

• AAA, Chairing an Arbitration Panel: Managing Procedures, Process & Dynamics, 2006

• AAA, Arbitration Awards: Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards, March 2005

• AAA, Practical Tips for Dealing with Delay Tactics of Parties and Advocates, March 2005

• AAA, Arbitrator Ethics & Disclosure, May 2004

• AAA, Commercial Arbitrator II Training, January 2002

• AAA, Arbitrator Update, 2001

• AAA, Commercial Arbitrator Training, January 1999

• AAA, Introductory Arbitrator Training, June 1995

Mediation

• AAA, Fundamentals of Effective Mediation Advocacy, 2010

• State Bar of Arizona, Guerilla Mediation: Getting Agreements in the Real World, 2009

• State Bar of Arizona, Mediating Complex Multi-Party Disputes, 2009

• Maricopa County Superior Court, Mediation and Settlement Training, January 1998

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND SERVICE

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (2015)

• Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators (2009)

• Fellow, American College of Civil Trial Mediators (2017)

• Fellow, Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals (2018)

• Charter Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals

• Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association and International Centre for Dispute Resolution

• American Arbitration Association AI Ambassador; member of the AI-Driven Commerce & Automated Transactions Working Group (2026–present)

• Horace Rumpole Inn of Court: former Master and past president

Arbitration Rate: $795 per hour