TIM THOMASON

Hon. Timothy J.
Thomason, ret.

  Mediator • Arbitrator
Special Master

Tim Thomason, Phoenix Mediator and Arbitrator
Email 602-718-3340 480-861-9530

Please do not use this number for scheduling

National Academy of Distinguished Neutra
American College of Trial Lawyers
Litigation Counsel of America

Hon. Timothy J. Thomason, ret.

Mediator • Arbitrator • Special Master

Request a Date for Your Arbitration or Mediation

To schedule a mediation with Tim Thomason, please use the calendar below or contact Tim’s case manager, DeAnn Buchmeier, at 602-718-3340 or by email. If you schedule using the calendar, DeAnn will contact you to confirm the date and discuss arrangements.

If scheduling your session requires that you communicate with Tim Thomason directly, please email Tim and include your phone number. Tim will call as soon as he is able.

We can conduct mediations in our office, at your office, or via Zoom. Tim is also available for Saturday sessions upon request. 

  • Scheduling, Rates and Procedures

    Hourly Rate. Tim’s hourly rate is $570 per hour for mediations, arbitrations, and special master work. (See sample mediation engagement letter and arbitration engagement letter for arbitrations administered by our office.)


    Cases involving four or more parties are billed at $150 per party per hour.


    Travel. Tim does not charge for travel time in or outside of the Phoenix area. For cases that require Tim to travel outside of Phoenix, he requests that his expenses be reimbursed.


    Cancellation. Tim charges a cancellation fee of $2,500 per party if an arbitration administered by our office is cancelled within thirty days of the scheduled start of the arbitration.


    Arbitrations. Most often, cases are administered by an administering organization such as the American Arbitration Association (AAA). For arbitrations administered by our office, parties must sign the agreement for arbitration (see sample). We then schedule a pre-hearing conference call. Before and during that call, the parties describe the case and develop a schedule for discovery, motions, and the final hearing. We bill the parties for their respective shares of the estimated fee for the proceeding, which must be paid promptly after the first pre-hearing call.


    Tim serves as arbitrator for cases administered by AAA. If the parties cancel an arbitration administered by the AAA within 45 days before the hearing date, the parties owe the full amount of the arbitrator’s compensation at eight hours per day for the hearing dates scheduled.


    Mediations. For mediations administered by our office, please see sample agreements for in-person mediations and Zoom mediations. Each party must pay their share of the estimated fee in advance.


    Tim prefers to receive written submissions (confidential or shared or both) along with other materials such as Rule 26.1 disclosures, key contracts, and court rulings. This is discussed further in the mediation agreement. At the close of the mediation session, the parties confirm the terms of their agreement with signatures on a written term sheet (see sample) that the parties have developed before and during the session.


    Resources for Online Dispute Resolution. Please see a sample amendment to the agreement confirming use of Zoom for your mediation session. Please also see the Resources: Arbitration tab for protocols and forms of subpoenas and order related to online arbitration hearings.


    Online Case Management. Case Anywhere powers online management of Tim’s private arbitrations and mediations. With Case Anywhere, parties securely submit and exchange case documents; access records, including transcripts; calendar events; and communicate through secure message boards. Parties are charged a fee by Case Anywhere for the use of its platform. For more information, visit our Resources: Case Anywhere page.


    Billing and Case Management. DeAnn Buchmeier (602-718-3340 and email) manages your matter, including intake, calendaring, invoicing, and support along the way.

  • Confidentiality and Disclosures

    Confidentiality. Tim Thomason is a member of the State Bar of Arizona. Tim and Shawn Aiken practice together under the trade name of Aiken Thomason. Tim and Shawn share office space with the law firm of Shields Petitti & Zoldan, PLC. Tim maintains his own online data, e-mail, case management, billing payment, and other office systems.


    Disclosures. If any party or lawyer knows of any contract, disclosure, or conflict that might be relevant, please immediately contact Tim Thomason (602-718-3340 or email) or his administrative assistant and case manager, DeAnn Buchmeier (602-718-3340 or email).


    From 1984 to 2001, Tim was an associate and then a partner at Streich Lang, which later merged with Quarles and Brady. From 2001 to 2014, Tim was a partner at Mariscal Weeks McIntyre & Friedlander, which merged with Dickinson Wright. From 2014 to 2024 Tim was a Judge on the Maricopa County Superior Court bench. 

Tim Thomason: A distinguished career as a judge and a trial lawyer.

Prior to his almost 10-year tenure as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, Tim Thomason was a litigation partner in the Phoenix offices of two national law firms:

  • Dickinson Wright, PLLC (formerly Mariscal Weeks McIntyre & Friedlander), 2001-2014
  • Quarles & Brady LP (formerly Streich Lang, P.A.), 1984-2000

Tim Thomason had a distinguished litigation career, during which he represented parties in a wide variety of disputes, including:

  • professional liability
  • real property
  • financial institutions
  • trust and estate litigation
  • commercial disputes
  • title insurance and escrow

A multi-year Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America® honoree before becoming a judge, in 2013 Tim was named Real Estate Litigation "Lawyer of the Year" (Phoenix) by Best Lawyers. He was also included by Super Lawyers in its "Top 50 Arizona" list on multiple occasions.

In 2010, Tim was awarded fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only status reserved for the most accomplished trial lawyers. In addition, he  has authored numerous professional and academic publications and was the primary author and editor of The Arizona Trial Practice Manual.

Over a thirty-year career as a trial lawyer, and a nearly ten-year career as a trial court judge, Tim has seen and carefully evaluated almost every type of civil case. Tim was described by Chambers USA as “one of the most experienced trial lawyers in the State of Arizona.” He tried almost 100 cases in state and federal court and in arbitration tribunals. Tim also led over 40 appeals through completion.

Prior to co-founding Aiken Thomason, Tim spent the preceding ten years as a trial court judge in Maricopa County Superior Court. The last five years were spent on the Commercial Court, a specialty court designed to handle complex commercial disputes. During his tenure on the Commercial Court, Tim was a primary “go to” settlement conference judge; when parties to difficult cases wanted a judge to help resolve their cases, they usually asked to come before Judge Thomason. Tim handled dozens of settlement conferences, most of which were successfully resolved. Tim was known for his calm determination in getting complicated cases resolved.

As a judge, Tim was known for writing detailed rulings on the most complex of topics. He was also widely recognized for his work ethic, timeliness, and efficiency, typically issuing his rulings the day after oral argument.

Tim has now turned his attention to a full-time ADR practice. Tim’s background as a trial lawyer and a Commercial Court and Settlement Conference judge provides him with a unique ability to evaluate cases. Despite being new to a private ADR practice, Tim is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and has conducted approximately 200 settlement conferences as a judge and judge pro tem. Experienced lawyers and sophisticated companies trust Tim to reliably evaluate and resolve their cases.

Tim’s prior trial and judicial experience also provides him with the necessary background to serve as an arbitrator on complex cases. Tim is a designated arbitrator on the commercial panel for the American Arbitration Association.

In the community, Tim served as president and, for almost twenty years, on the board of directors of Childsplay, a nationally renowned theater for children and families. As president, he oversaw an annual budget of over $3 million. Tim is now a Vincentian, devoting his time to serving the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Tim and his wife, Pierrette, are the parents of four children between them, and Tim is a proud grandfather.

  • More about Tim Thomason's professional and personal background

    Over a thirty-year career as a trial lawyer, and a nearly ten-year career as a trial court judge, retired Judge Timothy J. Thomason has seen and carefully evaluated almost every type of civil case. Tim was described by Chambers USA as “one of the most experienced trial lawyers in the State of Arizona.” He tried almost 100 cases in state and federal court and in arbitration tribunals. Tim also led over 40 appeals through completion.


    Tim has spent the last ten years as a trial court judge in Maricopa County Superior Court. The last five years were spent on the Commercial Court, a specialty court designed to handle complex commercial disputes. During his tenure on the Commercial Court, Tim was a primary “go to” settlement conference judge; when parties to difficult cases wanted a judge to help resolve their cases, they usually asked to come before Judge Thomason. Tim handled dozens of settlement conferences, most of which were successfully resolved. Tim was known for his calm determination in getting complicated cases resolved.


    As a judge, Tim was known for writing detailed rulings on the most complex of topics. He was also widely recognized for his work ethic, timeliness, and efficiency, typically issuing his rulings the day after oral argument.


    Tim has now turned his attention to a full-time ADR practice. Tim’s background as a trial lawyer and a Commercial Court and Settlement Conference judge provides him with a unique ability to evaluate cases. Despite being new to a private ADR practice, Tim has conducted approximately 200 settlement conferences as a judge and judge pro tem. Experienced lawyers and sophisticated companies trust Tim to reliably evaluate and resolve their cases.


    Tim’s prior trial and judicial experience also provides him with the necessary background to serve as an arbitrator on complex cases. Tim is a designated arbitrator on the commercial panel for the American Arbitration Association.


    Tim’s accomplishments during his legal career were numerous. He was awarded fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only status reserved for the most accomplished trial lawyers. In addition, he authored numerous professional and academic publications and was the primary author and editor of The Arizona Trial Practice Manual.


    In the community, Tim served as president and, for almost twenty years, on the board of directors of Childsplay, a nationally renowned theater for children and families. As president, he oversaw an annual budget of over $3 million. Tim is now a Vincentian, devoting his time to serving the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society.


    Tim and his wife are the parents of four children between them, and Tim is a proud grandfather.

Judicial Experience

Judge, Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County, 2014-2023

Professional Fellowships and Affiliations

Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, 2010
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America

Honors and Awards

"Lawyer of the Year" (Phoenix), The Best Lawyers in America®: Real Estate Litigation, 2013
The Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation, 2003-2014
Super Lawyers: 2010-2014; “Top 50 Arizona," 2014
Chambers USA, 2014
Top Pro Bono Lawyer, Volunteer Lawyers Program, 2013

Bar and Court Admissions

Arizona, 1984
U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, 1984
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

J.D., Order of the Coif, University of Iowa, 1984
B.A., summa cum laude, Creighton University, 1981

Published Writing

Arizona Trial Practice Manual, Editor and Principal Author, 2015

Arizona Tort Law Handbook, Contributing Author, 2012

"How Juries Decide Cases" (author), American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, April 2003

"Key Evidentiary Issues in Health Care Cases" (author), American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, April 2002

"Logerquist: Anything Goes in Arizona" (author), American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, May 2001

"Admissible Ultimate Expert Testimony or Improper Legal Opinion: Where Is the Line to Be Drawn?" (author), American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, April 1997

"Key Objections for Every Trial" (author), American Bar Association Annual Meeting, August 1996

"The New Federal Disclosure and Limited Discovery Rules" (author), Arizona Attorney, State Bar of Arizona, December 1994

"Arizona Legislature Redefines Corporate Attorney-Client Privilege" (author), Insurance Journal, September 5, 1994

"How to Win and Oppose Attorney's Fees Motions" (co-author), The Practical Litigator, Vol. 5, No.1, January 1994

"The Expanding Nature of the Escrow Agents' Duties: Has the Judicial Pendulum Swung Too Far?" (co-author), 25 Arizona State Law Journal 643, No. 3 (Fall 1993)

"Arizona Deficiency Laws: When Is a Deficiency Judgment Available, and How Is One Obtained?" (co-author), Arizona Attorney, State Bar of Arizona, April 1992

"Landlords' Remedies for Monetary Breaches of Commercial Leases" (author), 3 Trial Practice, No.2, State Bar of Arizona, Spring/Summer 1992

"Baker v. Gardner: Judicial Legislation in a Vacuum" (author), Arizona Attorney, State Bar of Arizona, July 1989

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