Profile

Paul Fisher has resolved many hundreds of disputes as Mediator since 1986, and has heard hundreds of cases as Arbitrator since 1978. Paul has been a full time neutral since 1991. From 1971 until 1991, he was in a litigation practice specializing in complex real estate, business and construction disputes. He is an adjunct professor of law at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University. In 2001 Paul was named to the Distinguished Panel of Neutrals of New York’s CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution. In 2002 he received the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Award for Case of the Year. Recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer in the area of mediation in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Paul is a nationally published author, and frequent speaker. He continuously develops his expertise by participating in national advanced mediator conferences annually. Clients have commented, in a letter to Judge Bobb, “Please accept my enthusiastic suggestion that parties in highly complex business and employment litigation should be directed to consider utilizing Mr. Fisher. He was terrific.” Others have commented, “You are truly a super-star”, and “As a mediator myself, I can say -- you are a mediator’s mediator!”

Counties served: Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Fresno County, Kern County, Monterey County, Sacramento County, San Francisco County, Marin County, San Mateo County, Sonoma County, Napa County, Contra Costa County, San Luis Obispo County and Tulare County.

Legal Career & Prior Experience

• Distinguished Panel of Neutrals, CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution
• International Academy of Mediators - Harvard conference 2006, discussion leader
• Special Master, U.S. District Court, Central District of California
• Mediator, Los Angeles Superior Court - Probate Panel
• NASD Dispute Resolution, Panel of Mediators
• 1971-1991 litigation practice specializing in complex real estate, business and construction

Professional Affiliations & Education

• Pepperdine University School of Law, Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution, Masters Forum, participant and session leader
• International Academy of Mediators - Harvard conference 2006, discussion leader.
• CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution, Distinguished Panel of Neutrals and conferences participant
• Co-Chair ABA Committee on Emotional and Psychological Issues in Estate Planning
• ABA Probate and Fiduciary Litigation Committee
• L.A. County Bar Association, active participant
• Juris Doctor, University of San Diego, School of Law, 1969
• Bachelor of Arts, California State University, Northridge, 1966

ADR Specialization

• Complex Real Property / Real Estate
• Complex Business / Contracts
• Highly Emotionally Driven Disputes and Disputes Involving High Conflict Personality Parties
• Construction Defect
• Trusts, Estates, Probate Disputes and Estate Conflict Management
• Insurance coverage

Publications

"Identifying and Managing High Conflict Personality Clients", (Probate & Property Magazine, January/February 2012, American Bar Association)

"Mindfulness in Managing High Conflict Personality Clients" (Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, July 2011)

"Double Trouble: Managing the High Conflict Personality Client's Enabler" (Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, June 2011)

"Identifying and Managing Antisocial Personality Clients" (Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, May, 2011)

"Identifying and Managing Narcissistic Personality Clients" (Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, March, 2011)

"Identifying and Managing Histrionic Personality Clients" (Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, February 2011)

"California Supreme Court: No "Attorney Malpractice" Exception to Mediation Confidentiality" (Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, January 2011)

"Identifying and Managing Difficult, High Conflict Personality Clients - Introduction and Borderline Personalities" (January 2011)

"The Power of a Positive Relationship with Opposing Counsel" (November 2010)

"Recent Dramatic Cases Provide Valuable Practice Tools" (August 2010)

"Waiver of Attorney-Client Privilege Trumps Mediation Confidentiality" (May 2010) The Court of Appeal opinion discussed in this article concerning John Porter et al. v. Steven Wyner et al., may have been overruled by the decision discussed in the article above.

"Exception to Mediation Confidentiality: Claims by Client Against Their Attorney" (November, 2009)

"Failure to Mediate Leads to Remediation of Moldy Delusional Dispute" (October, 2009)

"Take-Aways: Parting Words to Keep Conflict Apart from Those Parting Ways" (September, 2009)

"Mediums to Invoke a Peaceful Means to Your Estate Planning Client's End" (June, 2009)

"Legal and Ethical Requirements of a Meeting to Resolve or Manage estates Conflicts" (May, 2009)

"Benefits and Disadvantages of Addressing Trusts and Estates Conflicts at Different Times on the Estate Planning Continuum" (April, 2009)

"Representing Clients in Difficult Economic Times" (February, 2009)
Full length | Quick read

"The Golden Window of Opportunity: When to Successfully Address Estates Conflicts" (January, 2009)

"The Rule of 3 Ns: Written Settlement Agreement Reached During Mediation Held Not Admissible and Not Enforceable When Not Signed By All Parties" (December, 2008)

"Is Addressing Potential Conflicts During The Estate Planning Process a Pre-Emptive Strike Or a Can of Menacing Worms?" (November, 2008)

"Benefits of Addressing Conflicts During the Estate Planning Process" (September, 2008)

"Is There More To Life Than Death, Taxes and Post Mortem Financial and Emotional Grief?" (August, 2008)

"There Has To Be A Better Way: The Value in Managing Estates Conflict" (July, 2008)

"Conflict Management in Family Inheritance Wars" (May, 2008)

"Avoiding Enforceability Problems of Mediation Settlement Agreements" (January, 2008)

"Cal Ap Defines What Conversations Between Attorneys Are, and Are Not, Protected by Mediation Confidentiality" (July, 2007)

"Are Magic Words Necessary to Make Enforceable a Memorandum, Term Sheet or Letter of Intent Signed at a Mediation?" (January, 2007)

"Award of Attorney Fees Affirmed Where Mediation Requested After Suit Filed" (November, 2006)

Tools For Negotiators: "Beyond Reason - Using Emotions as You Negotiate" Book Review. (July 2006)

"MSJ Granted to Enforce Settlement Agreement Entered at Conclusion of Mediation, Where the Agreement Was Not Signed Personally by All Parties" (January, 2006)

"Late Summer '05 Intellectual Entertainment: Mediation Confidentiality, Ethics and Public Policy" (September, 2005)

"When Is A Memorandum of Understanding Not Enforceable?" (June, 2005)

"Cal.Ap. Bars Attorney Fees To Prevailing Party Who Refuses To First Mediate" (March, 2005)

"Early Case Management" (June, 2004)

"Case Management as an Institutional Force" (June, 2004)

"Conflict Wisdom" (periodically updated)

"Preparation Emphasizes What Clients Don't Want To Hear", Alternatives, CPR (Center for Public Resources) Institute for Dispute Resolution, April 2002.
Also published as Chapter 20, Mediation: Approaches and Insights, Juris Publishing, 2005

"How Attorneys In Mediation Face The Conflict Of Keeping The Client Happy Versus The Need To Discuss The Hard Issues -- Or, How to Succeed in Mediation Without Losing Your Client", pending publication.

"Avoiding Impasse in Mediation -- A Critical Checklist For Mediation Counsel", Alternatives, CPR (Center for Public Resources) Institute for Dispute Resolution, May 2001.
Also published as Chapter 24, Mediation: Approaches and Insights, Juris Publishing, 2005

"Changes in Mediation Confidentiality", ADR Edge, June 2000.

ADR EDGE, a periodic abstract of developments in Alternative Dispute Resolution.

"Courts Refuse to Overturn Arbitrator Awards on Attorney Fees", Los Angeles Daily Journal, Oct. 25, 2000.

"Mediation Advocacy Tips", ADR Edge, Spring 1999.

"Mediation: What's In It For Litigators", ADR Edge, Spring 1999.

"Judicial References: Choice is Everything", ADR Edge, Spring 1999.

"All You Need to Know About Mediation But Didn't Know to Ask -- A Parachute for Parties in Litigation"
Business Law News, the State Bar of California, Business Law Section, Fall 1998
Also published in Alternatives, CPR (Center for Public Resources) Institute for Dispute Resolution, March 1998.
Also published as Chapter 28, Mediation: Approaches and Insights, Juris Publishing, 2005

"Report on Judicial Utilization of ADR," to Los Angeles Superior Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, August 1996.
Co-Authored with Judge Frances Rothschild.

"Creative Mediation Design," Los Angeles Lawyer, May 1995.

"Mediation Benchbook," 1994.

"How to Successfully Mediate a Case: Tips to Attorneys and Mediators," reprinted in Alternative Dispute Resolution NEWSALERT, 1993, Arbitration Journal, 1991.

Faculty

Adjunct professor of law, The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University. Guest lecturer at Loyola Law School. He has served as faculty in innumerable ADR programs before Bar Associations, law firms, Estate Planning Councils, Annual Arbitration/Mediation Day Conferences, and the American Arbitration Association.

Professional Affiliations

Licensed to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of California, U.S. District Court, Central District of California.

ABA Committee on Emotional and Psychological Issues in Estate Planning

Los Angeles County Bar Association, real property, construction, litigation, labor and employment section. Business & Corporations, Trusts & Estates. Participant, Los Angeles Superior Court ADR Committees.

Awards/Honors

Fisher Featured in Daily Journal's Verdicts & Settlements

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Award for Case of the Year, 2002.

Recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer in the area of mediation in 2007, 2008 and 2009.