Charles Ammeson

CHARLES AMMESON

Conflict resolution has long been important to Charles, his Father having served as a labor negotiator and grievance administrator, influencing his decision to pursue a similar path.

Charles received his B.S. in Collective Bargaining from Cornell University (New York State School of Industrial & Labor Relations) in 1975. After graduation, he went to work for ICI-United States (a subsidiary of United Kingdom’s Imperial Chemical Industries) administering labor contract and grievance matters, and was later hired by National Standard Company to administer their Basic Steel Agreement.

Charles graduated cum laude with a law degree from the Notre Dame Law School at the University of Notre Dame in 1982. After graduation,  he joined the trial firm of Meredith & Donnell in Corpus Christi, Texas. While in Texas, he served on the Texas Bar Association’s ADR Committee headed by the Honorable Frank G. Evans.  From 1982 to 1985, Charles interned as a Labor Arbitrator with Arbitrators Robert Howlett, Barnett Goodstein and John Bailey.

Returning to return to his Midwestern roots, Charles joined the law firm of Fisher Troff & Fisher (the immediate predecessor of Troff Petzke & Ammeson) in St. Joseph, Michigan. During his 30-year tenure with the firm, Charles built the firm’s real estate and trial practice.  Charles actively pursued his interest in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) by serving on the initial Facilitative Mediation Panel for the Western District of Michigan, the original ADR Committee for the State Bar of Michigan, and as a founding member of Citizen’s Mediation Service, a non-profit community dispute resolution center still providing services to the local community. Charles continues to engage in assignments as Labor Arbitrator, Commercial Arbitrator, Fact Finder and Facilitative Mediator, having rendered over 100 awards and settlements. Charles’ current practice is allocated 50%  to ADR matters and 50%  to real estate and estate matters, both including litigation.

Charles is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan, the U.S. Federal District Court for the Western District of Michigan , and is a member of the Michigan and Berrien County Bar Associations, having served as President of the Berrien County Bar Association from 1993 to 1994.

Charles has fostered resolution of complex and difficult matters as an advocate, arbitrator and mediator,  based on 30 years of litigation and advocacy experience, having tried over 20 jury trials; having rendered  written awards in over 100  arbitrations; and being appointed as a neutral in over 600 matters.

Charles is published in the fields of arbitration, employment law,  mediation and real estate, having authored “Unilateral Offers of Reemployment in Employment Litigation” for the Michigan Bar Journal; and co- authored “Divorce Mediation” for Volume 8A of Michigan Pleading & Practice; and “Follow the Rule: ” Condominium Boards and the Business Judgment Rule” for the Michigan Real Property Review.

Charles has arbitrated the issues of Absenteeism, Arbitrability, Bargaining Unit Work, Conduct, Demotion, Discipline (Non-Discharge), Discipline (Discharge), Discrimination: Age, Disability, Race, Sex, Religion, National Origin, Drug/Alcohol Offenses, Fringe Benefits: Bonus, Holidays, Insurance, Interest Arbitration, Leave, Vacation, Health/Hospitalization, Job Performance, Job Posting/Bidding, Jurisdictional Disputes, Layoffs/Bumping/Recall, Management Rights, Past Practices, Pension and Welfare Plans, Promotion, Retirement, Safety/Health Conditions, Seniority, Sexual Harassment, Subcontracting/Contracting Out, Union Security, Wages: Cost-of-Living Pay, Holiday Pay, Incentive Pay, Job Classification and Rates, Overtime Pay, Vacation Pay, Work Hours/Schedules/Assignments, Working Conditions/Work Orders, Timeliness, Discipline, Union Seniority, Administrative Leave, Payment Error, Negligence, Injury, Insurance Negligence, Past Practice/Lone Layoff, Reassignment,  and Luncheon.

Charles’ ADR panel memberships include:

• Panel Member, American Arbitration Association Labor Panel
• Panel Member, UAW Local 6000/State of Michigan Labor Panel
• Panel Member,  Graphic Packaging International/USW Local 2-1010
• Panel Member, Michigan State Employees Association/Office of State Employer
• Panel Member, Michigan Employment Relations Commission Arbitration  Panel
• Panel Member, Michigan Employment Relations Commission Act 312 Panel
• Panel Member, Michigan Employment Relations Commission Fact Finding Panel
• Panel Member, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
• Berrien County Case Evaluation and Mediation Panels
• Cass County Case Evaluation and Mediation Panels