FIRST RESOLUTION SERVICES - Key Persons
Charles Parselle brings a close understanding of legal process to bear on the problems of pre-trial resolution. A practicing attorney for over thirty years, emphasizing personal injury, real estate, probate, business and employment matters, Charles Parselle combines legal expertise, practical experience and empathetic understanding to serve the needs of parties involved in dispute. He enjoys the confidence of both plaintiff and defense bars as a gifted facilitator.
Charles Parselle has also served as general counsel to corporations on three continents - to a multinational head-quartered in the U.K. with responsibilities including constitutional issues, contracts, intellectual property, taxation, tort and employment claims; to an high tech security company in Canberra, Australia; and as general counsel to an entertainment company in Los Angeles, California, concentrating on intellectual property and employment issues. As a result, Charles Parselle brings to the dispute resolution process impeccable academic as well as practical experience, and close knowledge of applicable law and a wide knowledge of different people, cultures and processes.
Charles Parselle has traveled widely in most of the countries of Europe and Africa, as well as living for two years in Australia, and journeying to China, Hong-Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan and India. He was born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.
Deborah Rothman is a trained, experienced, knowledgeable, fair and dedicated neutral who engenders the trust and confidence necessary to consistently facilitate mutually acceptable settlements. A fair, dedicated, creative, cost-conscious arbitrator of complex cases who collaborates with counsel early and frequently to effectively phase the discovery and tailor the hearing process to the clients and their particular dispute, and to facilitate the parties' early assessment of settlement options. Deborah Rothman was named one of Southern California Super Lawyers as well as one of the Best Lawyers in America in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Deborah Rothman was also named one of the Top 32 Hollywood Reporter Esq. Power Mediators for 2007 as well as one of the top arbitrators in California by Who's Who Legal in 2009
EDUCATION:
(June, 1971) B.A., Yale College, Magna cum Laude.
(June, 1976) Juris Doctor, New York University School of Law.
(June, 1976) Masters, Public Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University.
In 2002, after 12 years of distinguished service, Commissioner Eugene Siegel retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court. Prior to serving on the Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Siegel was elected to the Antelope Municipal Court. Commissioner Eugene Siegel practiced family civil law and criminal defense in Los Angeles and Antelope Valley, and has taught at the Glendale College of Law, Antelope Valley College and guest lectured at USC. Commissioner Eugene Siegel continues teaching criminal law and evidence at Antelope Valley College.
EDUCATION:
(1997) J.D., Glendale College of Law
Judge John Ouderkirk has served as a mediator, arbitrator, discovery referee, special master and judge pro tem in a wide range of complex cases. He is well-respected among the civil and family law bars, where he is considered to be an excellent settlement judge and a thorough and efficient discovery referee. Judge Ouderkirk has a reputation for his adept handling of highly sensitive, emotional cases. Judge Ouderkirk has artfully presided over high-profile matters such as the Reginald Denny beating case. He is Known to go the "extra mile" to settle a case.
EDUCATION:
(1977) Loyola Law School - Dean's list all four years and recipient of an honorary
Scholarship for Academic Excellence in 1976
(1972) California State University, Los Angeles - Graduated with honors
(1965) Los Angeles Police Academy
Since his retirement as a Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Justice Robert Feinerman has been engaged full time in Alternative Dispute Resolution as a Mediator, Arbitrator and Private Judge. On November 25, 2002 the Daily Journal stated that Justice Feinerman was one of the State's twenty "most sought after mediators and arbitrators, who provides the best in alternative dispute resolution." In 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 Justice Robert Feinerman was again selected by the Daily Journal as one of California's top neutrals. Matters handled by Justice Robert Feinerman since his retirement from the bench after twenty five years of active service cover a broad spectrum of civil law, including complex business litigation, aviation, personal injury and products liability, professional malpractice, bad faith, employment, intellectual property, unfair trade practices, entertainment, real estate and corporate matters.
EDUCATION:
June (1949) J.D., University of California (Boalt Hall of Law)
(February 1946) B.A., UCLA
(July 1966) Graduate of National College of State Trial Judges, University of Colorado
Ivan K. Stevenson has been a trial attorney for 34 years, during which time he has had an extensive successful trial record and has been responsible for the establishment of case law on both the Appellate Court and Supreme Court level for the State of California. Ivan Stevenson has served as an arbitrator for the past 28 years and a mediator for the past 11 years. Throughout his legal career, he has made it his priority to be fully prepared for every trial, arbitration and mediation. His 34 years as a trial attorney has brought him a wealth of knowledge in a variety of fields including, but not limited to, Maritime Matters, Admiralty Law, Construction Defects, Professional Malpractice, Legal Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, Commercial and Business Matters, Contracts, Trademark, Patent, with extensive knowledge of all forms of Personal Injury and Governmental Agency Law. Throughout his career as a trial attorney, Ivan K. Stevenson has practiced on both sides having tried cases as plaintiff or defense counsel. He has represented various governmental agencies from the U.S. Federal Government down but he has also sued governmental agencies from the Federal Government down to local level entities. Ivan K. Stevenson has lectured on the subject matter of mediation and the use of mediation in the litigation world and has lectured on a state, as well as national and international level. He is a Fellow with the Center for International Legal Studies and has presented lectures in Salzburg, Austria and Rome, Italy.
EDUCATION:
(June, 1971) University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, Bachelor of Arts - English
(June, 1974) Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California, Juris Doctor
Ivan K. Stevenson has traveled to six of the seven continents and lived overseas in Guam and Morocco, and spent extended periods in Europe and South America. He is an avid snowboarder. He also looks forward to sailing every chance he gets. He has completed 16 marathons, placed in triathlons and 5Ks. He finds swimming the easiest of all sports and snowboarding the most exhilarating.
Retired from the Superior Court in 1999, Judge Darrel Lewis brings over 20 years experience as a general trial judge in Sacramento, California. His assignments included presiding judge of the appellate department, full-time civil law and motion calendars and full-time civil settlement conferences. Judge Darrel Lewis brings to mediation a unique combination of judicial insight and authority, formal mediation training, keen listening skills and an empathic personality that allows him to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. Judge Darrel Lewis specializes in mediation and discovery disputes. He has been particularly successful in resolving cases involving personal injury, products liability, professional malpractice, real estate, home owner associations, business, construction, and employment law.
EDUCATION:
J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, 1972
M.B.A., California State University, Sacramento, 1967
B.A., University of the Pacific, Stockton, 1965
Judge Darrel Lewis was elected in 1979 and quickly established himself as an impartial and astute judge of civil law. As Supervising Settlement Judge he conducted or supervised over 2,000 settlement conferences encompassing all areas of civil law. His settlement efforts resulted in his being named 1998 Judge of the Year by the Sacramento Consumer Attorneys.
Judge Darrel Lewis mediates all general civil cases. He does not handle family law cases. Judge Lewis particularly enjoys working with cases with high emotion or personality issues. He has been very successful in the areas of:
Family Trusts and Probate
Employment Law
Homeowner's Associations and Neighborhood disputes
Medical and Legal Negligence and Malpractice
Elder Abuse
Personal Injury
Wrongful Death
Judge Lewis has resolved numerous cases involving:
Construction Defects
Real Estate Sales
Landlord Tenant
Land Use
Inverse Condemnation
Judge Lewis's MBA degree assists him in understanding the issues in:
Business Disputes
Partnership Disputes and dissolutions
Commercial Disputes
Contracts in General
Judge Lewis's experience in Criminal Law Enforcement helps him to resolve cases involving
Judge Darrel Lewis has completed the following mediation courses: Mediator Communication Skills (Tony Roffers, Ph.D.), Advanced Settlement Techniques (John B. Bates, Jr. of Jams/ Endispute), Advanced Mediation Techniques (Pepperdine University) and Litigation Risk Analysis (Mark Victor). He completed, and has served as faculty assistant for, the Civil Mediation Course (National Judicial College, University of Nevada, Reno), Mediation Practice (Forrest Mosten), Training for experienced Mediators (Steve Rosenberg, Mill Valley, CA) and the 1st and 3RD D.C.A. Appellate Mediation Training. He has served as an ADR panelist at the Master's Forum (Pepperdine University) and the Retired Judges Conference of the California Judges Association.
Judge Leonard Wolf served as a special master in environmental tort actions to render accountings and to supervise discovery and make factual findings in Los Angeles County, throughout United States and Europe.
Robert Mann has thirty years of experience in construction, real estate and business litigation, arbitration and mediation. He has over 20 years substantial experience in litigation, arbitration and mediation of complex construction disputes. Nearly 100% of his practice is devoted to construction law matters, including representation of owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, specialty contractors, architects, and engineers. Robert Mann's experience includes all aspects of construction disputes, including construction defect, delay, disruption, mechanic's liens, change orders, private and public works, multi-family, multi-party, residential and commercial. Substantial technical expertise in building, including a thorough understanding of infrastructure (including dry and wet underground utilities), sewer systems, septic systems, soils and geotechnical issues, foundations, framing, fenestration, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, exterior plaster systems, roofing, waterproofing, civil engineering and mold. Robert Mann's notable professional accomplishments include the representation of the original owner/developer of the Shutters at the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, CA in arbitration against the general contractor over a period of 261 hearing days and obtaining an award for client of approximately $90 million and defeating the contractor's $24 million claim. Robert Mann has also represented many owners of very large (25,000 square foot plus) luxury single family residences in construction defect matters. Robert Mann serves as an expert witness re reasonableness of attorneys fees and standard of care in construction defect disputes. He is an author and lecturer on construction and construction mediation issues.
Robert Mann has successfully mediated over 250 significant construction defect, construction related breach of contract, delay and disruption, and change order disputes (including multi-party, multi-family, commercial and public works projects), real estate broker failure to disclose disputes, residential real estate breach of contract, home inspection disputes, wrongful termination, toxic tort wrongful death, entertainment and business tort disputes. Representative cases include public works (Los Angeles Metro Rail), LAUSD construction disputes, numerous multi-family disputes in California and Nevada with settlement value in the tens of millions of dollars, luxury single family home disputes, commercial lease disputes. Robert Mann has successfully mediated numerous multi-party construction disputes in California and Nevada involving residential, commercial and public works projects.
As an Arbitrator, Robert Mann has handled cases involving commercial breach of lease, breach of contract, delay, disruption and construction defect in construction of middle school (25 day arbitration); breach of contract in construction of single family residence; specific performance of commercial purchase and sale agreement; commercial breach of contract for purchase of real property, construction defect single family residence claims. Robert Mann has also acted as owner's representative for a multi-million dollar complex underground structure and as Court-appointed special master to oversee construction of new luxury single family home for owner who suffered catastrophic injury resulting in paralysis.
Soheila Azizi has been a champion in promoting social justice by bringing creative solutions to most challenging disputes by combining her litigation experience with masterful application of diverse mediation styles and transformative techniques. Soheila Azizi has successfully completed mediation seminars and training programs including STAR and the "Professional Skills Program" at Pepperdine University's acclaimed Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. An immigrant with a rich cultural heritage, Soheila Azizi offers special skills and powerful communication techniques aimed at effective resolution of Cross-Cultural disputes and sensitive orientations.
Soheila Azizi is the appointed Arbitrator by the California State Bar, and the local county bars, for Mandatory Fee Disputes between Attorneys and their clients. She is also on contract with the San Bernardino County as a Judge Pro Tem/Mediator, conducting Mandatory Settlement Conferences in the areas of Civil and Family Law.
EDUCATION:
J.D., University of La Verne School of Law, Ontario, CA
B.A., Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Thomas Friedman has handled all types of arbitrations, including over fifteen thousand personal injury cases. He has also handled many real estate, business, malpractice (legal, dental, medical), contract disputes, product liability, lemon law, admiralty disputes, and all areas of employment law and police and fire litigation.