Howard Stempler

Our goal at Central Mass Mediation & Arbitration is to provide the bridge that allows parties to resolve their differences between themselves rather than relying on a typically inefficient, expensive, and time-consuming judicial system. 

Our team is led by Howard Stempler, an attorney and certified mediator with over 38 years of experience advising and representing clients on legal matters that impact their personal and professional lives. A seasoned litigator, Howard knows the significant costs associated with lengthy legal conflicts and he firmly believes that alternative dispute resolution can provide a better way to resolve conflict. Howard is the incoming co-chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee for the Worcester County Bar Association.

Throughout his career, Howard has provided representation as insurance defence counsel as well as plaintiff’s counsel on a wide range of civil matters from personal injury to commercial and employment disputes to family law matters. Howard has appeared and tried cases before most state and federal courts and tribunals in the Commonwealth as well as representing clients before the ABCC, DEP, the United States Department of Defense, and the Social Security Administration. Howard has been recognized as a Top Attorney by the Boston Magazine and as a Thomson Reuters Peer-rated Super Lawyer 2016-2022.

Howard continues to serve as counsel to several closely held businesses on matters involving business planning and strategy, employment, and corporate matters. Howard has also had the good fortune of founding and operating several businesses, including OVO, a snowsport helmet manufacturing and distribution company, and BABA, an award-winning sushi restaurant. He also served for nine years as the President of JEMS of New England, a real estate holding company dedicated to environmental remediation and the sale of over pieces of 40 commercial real estates. 

Outside of his professional work, Howard has served the Worcester community on various non-profit boards, has started several non-profit organizations and was a long-time board member and past President of the Jewish Community Center. Howard recently was a volunteer mentor in the EforAll small business entrepreneurship program. He is also a proud 4-time participant in the Pan Mass Challenge, the world’s largest athletic fundraising event for cancer research and treatment. 

Howard believes that his mediation training, years of diverse civil practice, his entrepreneurship and practical business experience as well as his community service, provide those skill sets, perspectives and experience necessary to assist individuals and businesses resolve their disputes efficiently and cost-effectively. 

Howard Stempler’ s practice is concentrated in the areas of litigation, real estate, employment and business & corporate matters, including catastrophic personal injury matters, commercial and residential real estate and business planning. He serves as counsel to a number of closely-held businesses on matters involving commercial contract drafting and negotiation, employment policies and procedures, and corporate governance.

Over the last 30 years, Mr. Stempler has tried cases in most of the state and federal courts and tribunals in the Commonwealth including the Superior, District, and Probate Courts, the Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court; the United States District Court and the Department of Industrial Accidents. Howard has also represented clients before the United States Bankruptcy Court, the ABCC, DEP, the United States Department of Defense, and the Social Security Administration.

In addition to his extensive legal background, Mr. Stempler founded and developed two businesses including OVO, a snowsport helmet manufacturing and distribution company and BABA, a local sushi restaurant. He provides a wide range of strategic planning expertise to businesses and individuals on matters including the startup, purchase, distribution, marketing, financing and sale of businesses; commercial contract and lease drafting and negotiation; hospitality-specific issues and liquor and entertainment license advice and assistance.