Opinion
Submitted December 15, 1999
January 24, 2000
In a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 75 to confirm an arbitration award, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company appeals from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Feuerstein, J.), dated February 3, 1999, which, upon an order of the same court dated January 7, 1999, confirming the award, is in favor of the petitioner and against it in the principal sum of $825,000.
Bellofatto, Martyn, Toher, Esposito Martyn, Mineola, N Y (Thomas M. Martyn of counsel), for appellant.
Shayne, Dachs, Stanisci, Corker Sauer, Mineola, N.Y. (Jonathan A. Dachs of counsel), for respondent.
WILLIAM C. THOMPSON, J.P., SONDRA MILLER, GABRIEL M. KRAUSMAN, ANITA R. FLORIO, ROBERT W. SCHMIDT, JJ.
DECISION ORDER
ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.
We reject the appellant's contention that the arbitration award should have been vacated based on the appearance of partiality of the arbitrator. It is well settled that mere occasional associations between an arbitrator and those appearing before him generally will not warrant disqualification of the arbitrator on the ground of the appearance of bias or partiality (see, Matter of Siegel [Lewis], 40 N.Y.2d 687, 690 ; Matter of Henry Quentzel Plumbing Supply Co. v. Quentzel, 193 A.D.2d 678 ). Here, the nature of the contacts between the arbitrator and the petitioner's attorney were insufficient to support a finding that there was an appearance of bias or partiality (see, Matter of Henry Quentzel Plumbing Supply Co. v. Quentzel, supra). Moreover, the appellant failed to demonstrate any prejudice to its rights as a result of any alleged appearance of bias or partiality (see, CPLR 7511[b][1]). The appellant's remaining contentions are without merit.
THOMPSON, J. P., S. MILLER, KRAUSMAN, FLORIO, and SCHMIDT, JJ., concur.