Over my 26 years as an attorney, I have litigated cases from a wide variety of perspectives. I’ve had the rare opportunity to be a litigator on many different sides of the aisle, in both civil and criminal law. My unique experience as as a seasoned and well-rounded litigator has afforded me the ability to quickly and effectively identify legal, tactical and ancillary issues others may have overlooked. While I have had great success as a trial lawyer, I also developed the ability and wisdom to effectively resolve the disputes which are more appropriately and effectively settled without the costs and uncertainty inherent in fully adjudicated matters. In either case, my clients benefit from my experience, reputation, judgment and tenacity.

My skill in this area has allowed me to avoid impediments to resolution and to negotiate agreements in even extremely complex and challenging cases. I have also fine tuned my ability to actively and empathetically listen, and to find creative and effective ways of communicate opposing perspectives.  I have effectively diffused many of the most volatile and seemingly impassible conflicts. 

To hone my abilities even further and to provide my clients with the best service, I trained in Mediation at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law. The Straus Institute has been repeatedly ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report in mediation instruction.

I offer mediation services for individuals, business organizations, and litigants, who seek the services of a neutral and skilled facilitator in reaching agreed upon resolutions to complex disputes.  Many parties find the outcomes of the mediation process to be much more satisfying, cost effective, and less disruptive to their lives and businesses than the alternative of leaving the outcome of their cases to the vagaries and expense of fully litigated cases, in which the outcomes are dictated by others.

My varied experience includes handling complex civil and business litigation cases at the highly respected firm of McCormick Barstow. During my many years there, I was immersed in varied areas of civil litigation and was trained by some of the best attorneys I have ever had the pleasure to know.  Years later, I served Fresno County as a prosecutor for more than 10 years.  Since 2005, I’ve successfully defended clients in both state and federal courts.  My experience and reputation earned me the covetable, “AV” rating from Martingdale-Hubbell.

My balanced law experience also enabled me to serve as an Adjunct Law Professor at the San Joaquin College of Law, teaching Criminal Law and Juvenile Justice, and as an Instructor at Fresno City College, teaching Constitutional Law and Legal Ethics.  Additionally, I serve on the Board of Directors of the Victim Offender Reconcilliation Program, (VORP.) VORP is a program which the juvenile courts have employed with tremendous success, leaving both the victims of crime more satisfied with the outcome, and juvenile offenders exponentially less likely to re-offend. While not mediation in the traditional sense, the VORP program, as well as other forms of, “restorative justice,” employ many of the techniques of mediation, which are so effective at finding sustainable, and satisfying resolutions to otherwise more adversarial processes. I have been recruited by Fresno State University to lecture in this area.

In my role as mediator, my goal is to assist parties to reach solutions to disputes in an environment that facilitates effective communication and diffuses sometimes volatile situations.  Through proven mediation techniques and guidance, parties can freely and confidentially convey their interests to the mediator.  The ultimate outcome of the mediation is ALWAYS voluntary.  No resolution is imposed.  Thus, the parties are ultimately in control the outcome, not judges, juries, arbitrators or some outside decision maker.

Should you or your clients seek a trained mediator with the skills to help parties effectively navigate through often entrenched positions and find solutions to complex problems, I welcome the opportunity to work with you

I also represent people who are accused of crimes, as well as people who are being investigated for crimes but have not yet been charged with a crime.  Additionally, I represent victims of crime.

Should you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being investigated for or charged with a crime, I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about your matter.

Should you or your clients seek a trained mediator with the skills to help parties effectively navigate through conflicts and find solutions to complex problems, I welcome the opportunity to work with you.