Hon. George J. Silver (ret.) is one of New York’s leading mediators, having presided as an elected Civil and Supreme Court Judge in New York for seventeen years. During his judicial career, Silver headed the creation of a New York City Judicial Mediation Part (J-Med) that led to the resolution of thousands of cases and a sharp decline in court backlogs. In addition to his other assignments, Silver managed a Medical Malpractice Early Settlement Part and oversaw general matters in a range of disciplines, including personal injury, matrimonial, and motor vehicle disputes.

In July 2017, Silver was appointed Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts. In that role, he was responsible for handling day-to-day court operations for the Trial Courts in New York City, and successfully negotiated the resolution of labor and union disputes while simultaneously handling a full calendar of cases and championing a push for increased alternative dispute resolution. During his tenure, Silver also successfully resolved scores of cases by handling blockbuster settlement conferences with various prestigious law firms and reputable carriers. Silver likewise oversaw cases filed under the Child Victims Act at its inception and created a case management order governing such cases that withstood appellate challenges. Silver also served as the interim Administrative Judge for New York County from July 2017 until December 2017. Thereafter, in addition to his role as the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts, Silver served as the interim Administrative Judge for Bronx County from January 2018 until December 2018, and the interim Administrative Judge for Queens County from September 2019 until June 2020.

Prior to ascending to the bench, Silver attended New York University where he was conferred a M.S. in Accounting and Management. He then attended Hofstra University School of Law where he was conferred a J.D. in 1983.  Silver was also conferred a M.B.A. in Finance from New York University Stern Graduate School of Business in 1992. He then served as an associate at Fields & Rosen, a firm specializing in maritime law, commercial and real estate matters and personal injury actions, in addition to handling matters for the bus companies. Later, Silver became an equity partner in the newly-formed firm of Fields, Silver & Santo, L.L.P.

Silver is the recipient of several awards and accolades and is involved in many community-based and Bar Associations including the NAACP, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and the Jewish Lawyers Guild. Silver is also a highly sought-after trainer and speaker on topics relating to mediation and the emerging field of alternative dispute resolution within it.

In October 2021, Silver retired from the bench and opened Silverstar Mediation and Arbitration LLC. Channeling the same commitment and charge that led to his success on the bench, Silver has remarked that “[j]ustice is seldom actualized in black and white terms. Instead, it is colored by shades of silver and gray that, as was true in Rashomon, demand that all perspectives at the table are heard and seen. That’s the Silverstar way.”