Case Manager: Joanna Barron
Mediator • Special Master
Steven Abern, Esq. brings unparalleled expertise to ADR Services, Inc. His extensive legal career spans 34 years, during which he served as the Managing Partner at Haapala, Thompson & Abern, one of the preeminent insurance defense firms in the Bay Area. His legal acumen is built on a foundation of litigating thousands disputes encompassing landlord-tenant issues, landslide and earth movement cases, premises liability, ADA claims, construction and real estate matters, personal injury, and public entity disputes.
Mr. Abern’s exceptional track record includes over 100 successful mediations as a private mediator and settlement mentor prior to joining ADR Services, Inc. He values a positive, efficient and solution-oriented approach that acknowledges the needs of both litigants and participating professionals. Having worked closely with insurance claims professionals over the entire span of his career, particularly in matters in which insurance coverage was disputed, he is uniquely suited to mediating matters where insurance coverage and contribution is involved. He has developed a rapport with both counsel and insurance professionals which he has drawn upon in mediation to settle matters efficiently to the satisfaction of all involved.
Admitted to practice in 1990, Mr. Abern is an AV-rated attorney with extensive experience as trial counsel. His litigation experience includes numerous jury trials, arbitrations, and over 1,000 mediations as an advocate, providing him with a well-rounded perspective on dispute resolution. Additionally, he has significant appellate experience, further enhancing his capabilities as a mediator. His dedication to achieving fair and effective resolutions, combined with his comprehensive legal background, makes him a valuable asset to any mediation process.
“Mr. Abern did an excellent job and was successful in resolving the case. He clearly has substantial experience and brought that experience to bear on the negotiations. He played an active part and this was a major factor in the success of the mediation. I would not hesitate to recommend him in the future.”
“I would use him again and intend to schedule him in the coming weeks and months on multiple cases that are in that area of California.”
“I think his biggest asset is he actually shows a level of care, even for a case that was on the Court’s reduced-fee basis, to give back by mediating in the fashion he does. You cannot teach someone to “give a damn,” as I like to say. He already does.”
“Mr. Abern was the opposite in every regard. He spoke with my clients, but never crossed any line, sufficient to get an understanding of how the accident occurred from their perspective. He also went to bat hard at the end so that we would not take a settlement that was unreasonable, and instead made it something that I think all parties were “content” with (which, in my opinion, means the mediation was fairly and appropriately conducted if no party feels like they ‘won.’)”
“I am extremely satisfied with Mr. Abern’s approach to mediation. You sometimes run into the mediator who wants to essentially depose your client, discuss academics, or worse yet, be focused on forcing a settlement in order to look like the shining star of the process.”
“Steve is a very effective mediator. I find that he is able to get to the crux of the matter fairly quickly and he tells it like it is. I will use Steve as a mediator whenever possible.”
“Steve was terrific, and dealt with a difficult settlement setup. Anyone who gets him as a mediator is lucky.”
“Steve did a fantastic job. The case was a difficult one and he was able to get a global settlement with multiple parties. I’ll be using him again.”
“Steven was terrific. This was my first time using him as a mediator, but it won’t be the last!”
