I have been mediating disputes since 2003. The experience I’ve gained over the more than 40 years I’ve practiced in admiralty & maritime, insurance coverage, and commercial litigation gives me a solid background for service as a mediator. To enhance that background, I completed a 30 hour mediation training course with Los Angeles County Bar Association Dispute Resolution Services and have an additional 18 hours of advanced training from The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University.

I also believe that parties caught in a dispute appreciate receiving a frank and impartial assessment of the merits of their claims or defenses from an outside observer. Thus, I frequently engage in evaluative mediation, where, if a party wishes, I provide my views on the matter in private, confidential, discussions during the mediation process. The ensuing dialogue helps the parties and me to realistically frame achievable goals in the process of coming to an ultimate resolution of the dispute.

Professional Background

• Duane Morris LLP – Special Counsel, 2005- 2015
• Coudert Brothers LLP – Partner, 2000-2005
• Hancock Rothert & Bunshoft LLP – Partner, 1997-2000
• Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP – Partner, 1996-1997
• Burlingham Underwood LLP – Partner, 1981-1996 – Associate, 1975-1981
• Mediator – Los Angeles County Superior Court Attorney Settlement Panel, 2002 – June 2008 – United States District Court for the Central District of California Attorney Settlement Panel, 2002 – June 2008 – Private Mediations, 2003 – present
• The Maritime Law Association of the United States – Chair, Practice and Procedure Committee, 1995-2000 – Chair, Subcommittee on Federal Rules and Statutes, 2001-present – Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2004
• Member, The American Law Institute – Member, Members Consultative Group on the development of The Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance
• Member, Joint Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Maritime Liens and Mortgages and Related Subjects, 1996-1999
• Advisor, U.S. Delegation to the Diplomatic Conference to Consider and Adopt the “International Convention on the Arrest of Ships, 1999,” Geneva, Switzerland
• Delegate from The Maritime Law Association of the United States to The Comité Maritime International Centenary Meeting, Antwerp, June 1997
• Member, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York Committee on Civil Litigation/Advisory Group, 1995 – 1996.

Experience

I have conducted mediations since 2003, completing dozens of matters in over 300 hours of mediation sessions.

Training

• 9/27/ 2002, LA County Bar Assoc. Dispute Resolution Services, Inc., Basic Mediation Training, 30 hours
• 6/21-23/2007, Pepperdine University, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Advanced Mediation: Skills & Technics, 18 hours

Approach

I believe that parties caught in a dispute appreciate receiving a frank and impartial assessment of the merits of their claims or defenses from an outside observer. Thus, I frequently engage in evaluative mediation, where, if a party wishes, I provide my views on the matter in private, confidential, discussions during the mediation process. The ensuing dialogue helps the parties and me to realistically frame achievable goals in the process of coming to an ultimate resolution of the dispute.