Arbitrator Pilar Vaile, Esq. is member of the National Academy of Arbitrators (NAA) and has nearly 20 years’ experience in litigation and labor/employment matters, as well as extensive training as an attorney, arbitrator, mediator, and hearing official. She is an accomplished communicator and listener, who combines sound legal judgment with thoughtful appreciation for the parties’ unique facts, circumstances, and governing law.
She is also committed to the tenets of Party confidentiality, self-determination, and control of the process. Arbitrator Vaile’s goals are always to provide a full, fair hearing; in the case of arbitration, to resolve the dispute within the four corners of the contract and/or party intent; and in the case of mediation, to facilitate principled and lasting resolutions.
Arbitrator Vaile excels at running a smooth hearing, in which she helps the parties stay focused on relevant issues while ensuring a full, fair hearing of those issues. Thereafter, her Arbitration Opinions and Awards fully assess and weigh facts and credibility, analyze and apply relevant law, and explain her reasoning and ultimate conclusions. Her mediated settlement agreements are clear and capture the essential details necessary for enforcement.
Arbitrator Vaile grew up in Southwest Louisiana, where she worked in her family’s equestrian, kennel, and animal breeding businesses. Thereafter, she spent three years in the Army (Active Duty, 71D, Legal Specialist, E-4) and then three more the LA National Guard (71D, and 71L, Personnel Specialist, Sgt. E-5), while attending college in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (LSU) and Albuquerque, New Mexico (UNM). After graduating from law school at the University of New Mexico, she spent a handful of years working as a plaintiffs’ class action litigation associate before embarking on what would become her forever-career as a neutral. After five years as Deputy Director and a hearing officer for the New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board, Arbitrator Vaile opened her own alternative dispute resolution firm. In the early years, she engaged in a variety of professional ADR or non-adversarial activities in addition to labor arbitration, including: employment mediation; civil mediation; foreclosure mediation; domestic relations and custody mediation; land use facilitation; and serving as a Guardian ad Litem for children and incapacitated adults. Now, Arbitrator Vaile works almost exclusively as a labor and employment Arbitrator, and resides in Yuma, Colorado in the High Plains of Northeast Colorado (2.5 hours due east of Denver). Despite her “remote” address, Arbitrator Vaile remains active in regional and national affairs of the National Academy of Arbitrators. She is serving or has served on the following committees: NAA Host Chair 2023; NAA Program Committee (2020-Present); NAA Continuing Education Committee (2021-present); Diversity, Equity, Including and Belonging (DEIB) Planning Committee (2021-2022); NAA Videoconferencing Task Force (2020-2022); Vice-Chair, PILAR VAILE WEBSITE CHANGES * PG 7 Southwest Rockies NAA Region (2022/2023). She has also been nominated to serve on the NAA Board of Governors 2023-2026 and is the Chair-Elect for the Southwest Rockies Region.
Please NOTE that Arbitrator Vaile no longer practices law and does not give legal advice. Nonetheless, her legal training enhances her understanding and appreciation of the issues confronting Parties to a dispute.
