Judge Compels Arbitration, Refuses to Disqualify Arbitrator

LOS ANGELES - A California federal judge has compelled arbitration of a dispute arising from a risk management services agreement and refused to disqualify a party's selected arbitrator despite the fact that he was a former employee and consultant of the objecting party's parent company. Service Partners LLC v. American Home Assurance Co., No. 11-1858 (C.D. Calif.).

On June 20, Judge Christina A. Snyder of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that the arbitrator is qualified because he is not currently under either party's control. The judge added that a challenge to an arbitrator's qualifications …