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Season 07 Episode 04 Hon. Paul A. Bacigalupo, Ret., joined ADR Services, Inc. in 2024 after 22 years as a Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. As a mediator, Judge Bacigalupo is characterized by his persistent curiosity to achieve resolution and his ability to ask the right questions at the right time. In this episode, Judge Bacigalupo shares the story of a woman’s death in a skilled nursing facility and the dynamics of a mediation between the family of the woman and that facility, complicated by the family dynamics between the deceased woman’s adult children. Which mediation tools did Judge Bacigalupo apply to successfully resolve the dispute?

Season 07 Episode 03 Hon. Victoria Wood (Ret.) established her successful track record of settling highly disputed cases during her time as a Judge for the Superior Court of Napa County, where she served her community with dedication for nearly two decades. In this episode, she relates the story of a mother and two adult daughters, co-owners of a house in which they lived, embroiled in a contentious and sometimes violent relationship which could not continue. Faced with a multitude of challenges in reaching an agreement that would allow the parties to move forward with their lives, Victoria used her considerable skills to assist the parties, only to have the agreement undone by a sudden and catastrophic event. Listen and learn how a master mediator gets it done!

Season 07 Episode 02 Phyllis W. Cheng, Esq., has excelled at every stage of her career, and for nearly seven years was Director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the largest state civil rights agency in the United States. In this episode, Phyllis tells the story of a deaf woman, in the United States illegally, in the process of self-deporting, arrested by ICE and detained in a city jail for five months. She was not given access to interpreters or provided with any means by which she could communicate, effectively cutting her off from her lawyers or family, and preventing her from communicating her need for medical procedures or basic needs. What were her rights in such circumstances? Did her immigration status impact her ability to recover compensation by way of legal action? How was Phyllis Cheng able to mediate a resolution of this matter?

Season 07 Episode 01 Following a stellar career as a trial lawyer, Eric Ivary has resolved more than 1,000 cases across a variety of substantive areas during the course of his mediation career at ADR Services, Inc. To kick off Season 7, Eric relates the aftermath of a 9-year-old boy’s toy-related death, where the adults in his life had failed him, and the retailer and distributor of the toy had neglected to include any instructions relating to its use, a combination that proved fatal. His father, who had gone to prison early in the boy’s life with no contact after his release, sought to share in compensation and threatened to jeopardize any settlement that did not include a substantial recovery for himself. How did master mediator Eric Ivary guide the parties to a resolution?

Season 06 Episode 12 With over 25 years of experience, MyKhanh Shelton, Esq. brings a unique blend of legal acumen, practical business insight, conflict resolution expertise, and emotional intelligence to her full-time employment mediation practice. In this episode, MyKhanh conveys the story of a woman who moved across the country, enticed by a job offer with a company whose goals and values appeared to be in line with her own, only to find that not only was the reality far from her expectations, but that she was subjected to inappropriate behavior. After she brought the situation to the attention of management, the offending behavior did not stop, and a lawsuit was filed. How did MyKhanh help the parties overcome the considerable roadblocks to resolution?

Season 06 Episode 11 Lindsey Bayman, Esq. is a mediator with a strong track record of resolving complex civil disputes, particularly in the areas of employment, sexual assault and misconduct, entertainment, business litigation, and personal injury. She is particularly effective in moving difficult cases to resolution, especially those involving high emotion, reputational risk, or entrenched positions. In this episode, Lindsey conveys the story of an employee subjected to unrelenting barrages of sexually infused language from a fellow employee, whose employer did nothing to remedy the situation. In an emotionally charged mediation, Lindsey Bayman demonstrates how a master mediator effectively overcame the obstacles posed when it is necessary to deal with emotional injury and denial to achieve a resolution.

Season 06 Episode 10 Brad Bening is one of the most effective and well-regarded neutrals in Northern California, acting in the role of mediator as well as Special Master in cases which present unique challenges to case management and resolution. He has successfully mediated more than 2,000 cases with a success rate of more than 98 percent. In this episode, Brad tells the story of a conflict that arose initially in the context of a construction case brought against a wealthy socialite and her interior designer, and the effect that a sexual experience between them impacted on that case and its resolution in a mediation Brad conducted. How was he able to guide the parties to a settlement?

Season 06 Episode 09 Michael G. Balmages, Esq., is an accomplished mediator and discovery referee with extensive experience as a trial lawyer, general counsel, and transactional lawyer, and has resolved more than 1,000 cases as a mediator and neutral with ADR Services, Inc. In this episode, Michael tells the story of a dispute between two neighbors over a 20-foot piece of property owned by the purchasers of a large lot, which had been used by their neighbors for parking for almost half a decade. The new purchaser had no real use for the property, which contained a telephone pole and underground utilities, but refused to allow the neighbors to continue to use the land. How did the mechanics and limitations of the mediator’s proposal affect the resolution?

Season 06 Episode 08 Judge Vedica Puri (Ret.) has served as a trial lawyer, a partner in private practice, and a San Francisco Superior Court judge—experience that places her among the few neutrals who have sat in every seat that matters when cases are evaluated, tried, and resolved. In this episode of Masters of Dispute Resolution, Vedica Puri shares the story of a family torn apart in a dispute over business matters, unable to overcome the considerable cultural and generational impediments standing in their way to resolution without her impressive insights, trust-building, and mediation skills. How did she know when to push, when to pull back, and how to handle roadblocks without losing momentum?

Season 06 Episode 07 Jeff Trueman, Esq., is an experienced, full-time mediator and arbitrator. He helps parties resolve a wide variety of litigated and pre-suit disputes and interpersonal problems concerning catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, professional liability, toxic and environmental torts, employment, business dissolution, and real property. Jeff joins Len Levy to tell the story of a business relationship between two women who had been friends since high school and had been operating a very successful hair salon business. Their business and personal relationship had deteriorated due to a variety of factors, not the least of which was the involvement in the business of one of the women’s daughters. How did Jeff overcome the considerable barriers to resolving the dispute?

Season 06 Episode 06 Phyllis W. Cheng, Esq., has excelled at every stage of her career, and for nearly seven years was Director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the largest state civil rights agency in the United States. In this episode, Phyllis relates the story behind a dispute involving a recovering addict, her father, and the guru who had helped the daughter achieve sobriety in exchange for free rent in a mansion owned by the very wealthy father, who had no knowledge of either the daughter’s addiction or the arrangement with the guru. Although he had performed no addiction-related services for more than seven years and lived in the mansion rent-free during that time, the guru claimed he was owed wages. How was Phyllis Cheng able to assist the parties to reach resolution?

Season 06 Episode 05 Lance A. LaBelle, Esq., is a highly regarded mediator. Prior to joining ADR Services, Inc., and before embarking on a career as a full-time neutral, he practiced law as an AV-rated attorney for over 30 years, handling a wide variety of matters and specializing in insurance cases. In this episode, Lance and Len Levy discuss a dispute involving a seriously injured fireman, an injured security guard, insurance claims, limited resources, and a multitude of other issues. Hear how master mediator Lance LaBelle was able to guide the parties through a process that resulted in a complete resolution by creatively utilizing a tool acquired through his many years of successfully mediating cases.

Season 06 Episode 04 Claudia Hagadus Long is one of the leading alternative dispute resolution neutrals in the Bay Area. An exceptionally skilled mediator, Ms. Long has mediated over 3000 cases and is currently a member of the ADR Services, Inc. panel of mediators. In her return visit to Masters of Dispute Resolution, this master storyteller and mediator shares a story of a caregiver hired to assist in the care of an elderly woman, entrusted with not only the care of the woman, but also provided with financial and personal support, suing the woman’s estate and her charge’s daughter for violations of the applicable wage and hour laws following the death of the woman.

Season 06 Episode 03 The Honorable Thomas L. Willhite, Jr., joined ADR Services, Inc. in February 2023 after a distinguished judicial career of more than 30 years, having served on the former Los Angeles Municipal Court, the Los Angeles Superior Court, and the California Court of Appeal. In this episode, Tom Willhite and Len Levy discuss the resolution of a wrongful death case concerning a father and husband who had served time in prison and had overcome mistakes he had made with the support of his family, who died after being struck on the head on the first day of a promising job. How did Tom Willhite, in his role of mediator, guide the parties to a settlement by overcoming significant monetary and emotional impediments standing in the way?

Season 06 Episode 02 Hon. David A. Rosen (Ret.) serves as a mediator and arbitrator at ADR Services, Inc., drawing on over forty years of experience in litigation, the judiciary, and alternative dispute resolution. In this episode, Judge Rosen joins Len to discuss the aftermath of a marital dissolution where an initial amicable agreement was derailed by changing circumstances and an attorney's failure to file a crucial document—with severe consequences. Judge Rosen's guidance in helping the parties find resolution offers important insights into the significance of a mediator’s credibility and subject matter expertise, especially in professional liability cases within family law.