Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services for complex disputes.
Professional Neutral
Honorable Andrea L. Rocanelli (Ret.)
Founder, Delaware ADR, LLC
After an accomplished career in public service, Judge Rocanelli founded Delaware ADR to offer sophisticated parties efficient, effective and durable resolutions of complex disputes. An experienced jurist with a reputation for fairness and integrity, Judge Rocanelli has served as a professional fact finder in scores of bench trials and has extensive experience as the presiding judge over hundreds of jury trials. As a Delaware judge, Judge Rocanelli presided over commercial cases that required the interpretation and application of the laws of states other than Delaware. As a mediator, Judge Rocanelli has successfully resolved matters involving federal and state law from numerous jurisdictions. Judge Rocanelli is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and is admitted to the Bars of New York, Massachusetts, and Delaware.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION TRAINING
Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University
Negotiation Workshop, Harvard Law School
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)
Arbitration Training Institute, American Bar Association
Certified Commercial Law Arbitrator, Delaware State Bar Association
Judge Rocanelli is always well-prepared to address and resolve complex legal issues, with a strong working knowledge of the record and a solid command of the controlling law.
Judge Rocanelli remains fully engaged to ensure that settlement documents are finalized, executed, and the stipulation of dismissal is filed with the court. The judges whose cases have been mediated by Delaware ADR especially appreciate that Judge Rocanelli considers a mediation to be concluded only when the ink is dry, and the case is dismissed.
Judge Rocanelli’s tenacity, people skills and training in interpersonal dynamics, coupled with her comprehensive judicial and legal experience, translate seamlessly for resolution of complex commercial disputes. These skills are particularly vital in disputes involving difficult personalities or clients whose emotional investment in the dispute complicates negotiations. Judge Rocanelli has successfully resolved cases in which previous mediators had failed. Even where disputes seem intractable, Judge Rocanelli is committed to achieving durable agreements that advance business goals by identifying creative solutions, often beyond those typically available in contested litigation.
During her accomplished career, Judge Rocanelli has received numerous honors and awards.
Judicial Partnership Award by the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Awarded to a leader who advanced the causes of individuals challenged with mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
Women’s Leadership Award by the Delaware State Bar Association
Awarded to a member of the Delaware Bar whose character, strength, personality, achievement and activities in matters affecting women lawyers have served as an inspiration to and a model for women lawyers in their professional careers.
Recognition by the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs
Award for her outstanding contribution to the bench, bar and public through efforts to maintain the integrity of the legal professions and improve the quality of life for lawyers.
Commissioner of SENTAC
Appointed as a representative of the Court of Common Pleas.
Judge Rocanelli’s energy, passion, and experience make her highly qualified to serve as a professional neutral for resolution of complex disputes. Dedicated focus, thorough preparation, and strong interpersonal skills have contributed to Judge Rocanelli’s excellent success rate in resolving disputes.
Judge Rocanelli was appointed to the Superior Court of the State of Delaware by Governor Jack A. Markell in 2013. She previously served as a judge of the Court of Common Pleas by appointment of Governor Markell in April 2009. During her tenure as a Delaware jurist, in addition to adjudicating the wide range of matters throughout the civil and criminal justice systems, Judge Rocanelli served as the presiding judge of the Unified Mental Health Court and the Drug Diversion Program. Consistent with Judge Rocanelli’s efforts for conflict resolution, Judge Rocanelli participated in Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training in de-escalation techniques and mental health crisis management for first-responders.
By appointment of the Delaware Supreme Court, Judge Rocanelli served as a member of various commissions and committees, including the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, Permanent Advisory Committee of the Delaware Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct, Delaware Commission on Continuing Education and the Permanent Advisory Committee on the Delaware Uniform Rules of Evidence. She has also served on committees of the Delaware State Bar Association, including the DSBA Committee on Access to Justice in CCP Consumer Debt Collection Actions and the DSBA Committee on Diversity.
