Experience and CV

Professional Experience

U.S. Magistrate Judge/Professional Neutral/Arbitrator and Mediator. 
Over thirty years of experience in arbitration and mediation, as an advocate and thereafter as a neutral. United States Magistrate Judge, Central District of California (part time) from January 2014 to January 2024.  Since 1993, selected to serve as arbitrator or mediator in over 1200 matters. Service as one of three arbitrators in 53 large, complex, international or domestic commercial matters, including more than 15 as panel chair. Numerous reasoned awards issued as sole arbitrator and service in more than 23 class arbitrations. Service as settlement judge, U.S.D.C., appointed Discovery Master by Los Angeles Superior Court.

Subjects handled in arbitration, mediation and as settlement judge, include: all types of employment matters including statutory and contractual claims; complex commercial cases including insurance coverage, partnership disputes, computer contracts and intellectual property issues, purchase and sale of businesses, and contractual relationships of many types, including entertainment ventures, motion picture financing, franchise and real estate contracts; environmental litigation; legal and lending malpractice; physician and hospital disputes; defamation; broker/dealer disputes involving customer claims of churning and inappropriate investments.

Service as a neutral since 1993 on the American Arbitration Association Commercial Panel, Employment Panel since 1995, the Large Complex Panel (LCCP) since 1996, the Class Arbitrations Panel, the International Panel, and the NRE (National Research Exchange) Panel since 2005. Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Previously served as settlement officer for the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, the Santa Barbara Superior Court and the Los Angeles Superior Court. Served as Hearing Officer, City of Santa Barbara Civil Service Commission until 2014; teaching arbitrator at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna and in Hong Kong from time to time since 2003. Frequent speaker and teacher on gender equity, mentoring and a wide range of ADR topics.

March, 1996 – March 1999

Of Counsel
BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER & WOLPERT
(now BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER, WOLPERT, NESSIM, DROOKS, LINCENBERG & RHOW)
Los Angeles , California

Business litigation in a variety of subject matter areas in state and federal courts, at trial and appellate levels, including: derivative, securities class action and broker/dealer litigation, accountants’ professional negligence defense, business torts, entertainment industry transactions, insurance bad faith, representation of guarantors and creditors in bankruptcy matters, antitrust, probate, contractual disputes, including contracts for goods and services, real property leases and lending agreements, partnership disputes, fraud, products liability and defamation claims. Representation of management in employment litigation and related matters, including investigation of allegations of harassment due to sex and sexual orientation.

August, 1992-March, 1996

RIORDAN & MCKINZIE
(now MORGAN LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP)
Los Angeles , California
Senior Litigation Principal

August 1974 – August, 1992

IRELL & MANELLA
Los Angeles , California
Partner from 1978

June 1971 – July l974

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAW SCHOOL
Lawrence , Kansas
Assistant Professor and Associate Professor
Faculty Director, Legal Aid Clinic