[Originally published in the January 2023 issue of Orange County Lawyer] Court rules differ, judges differ, court clerks differ, and lawyers differ, but there is one constant throughout California courts: most civil cases settle. I have heard estimates from various court officials putting the settlement range at 95% to 99.5%.... read more
ADR Services, Inc., California’s premier alternative dispute resolution firm, is proud to announce that it has recently been honored with the prestigious Alameda County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award for Best Law Firm 2023. This coveted award recognizes firms which have made significant contributions to the legal profession within the... read more
ADR Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that retired California Court of Appeal Justice Franklin D. Elia (Ret.) has joined our exclusive panel of neutrals. Justice Elia recently retired from the California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District, where he was the longest serving Justice in the Court’s history. His... read more
ADR Services, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Certified Family Law Specialist, David A. Fink, Esq. to our panel of distinguished neutrals. Mr. Fink brings over 33 years of experience to resolving family conflict. Initially trained as a mediator in 1992, since 2008, Mr. Fink has focused exclusively... read more
ADR Services, Inc. is proud to welcome Comm. Renee Wilson (Ret.) to our panel of distinguished neutrals. Commissioner Wilson served 22 years as a Commissioner for the Orange County Superior Court dedicated to family law assignments. During this time, Commissioner Wilson completed thousands of family law trials involving property division,... read more
After 12 years on the ADR Services, Inc. roster of neutrals, retired judge James C. Emerson said his view of the work he does as a mediator and arbitrator hasn’t changed a whole lot. “It was always an opportunity to try and resolve cases, and I still see it that... read more
Keynote Presentation Judicial Guardianship Evaluation Worksheet Keynote speaker: Hon. Paul T. Suzuki (Ret.) Dr. Bonnie Olsen, geropsychologist and expert in decisional capacity, will discuss the development of the Judicial Guardianship Evaluation Worksheet, a tool for probate judges to evaluate relevant factors in assessing the propriety and scope... read more
Published in The Journal of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association, Volume 35, Issue 2 (2022) Federal law affecting predispute arbitration agreements in sexual assault and sexual harassment matters changed significantly in March of this year. This article discusses what those changes are or may be. It also... read more
Presented by BHBA About the Program: Now, two years after the COVID-19 pandemic-related closures, in what many describe as the “New Normal,” there has been a worldwide focus on the effects of the pandemic upon mental health. The World Health Organization’s campaign to make mental health and well-being for all... read more
The Contra Costa County Bar Association, Family Law Section Presents a Two-Part Series on Domestic Violence Temporary Restraining Orders Panelists:
