MATTHEW WHITE, ESQ.

ADR EXPERIENCE & SPECIALITIES

Matt White has been actively engaged in civil litigation as an advocate, mediator, arbitrator, discovery referee, and Judge Pro-Tem since 1979. Matt has extensive experience in personal injury matters, as well as experience in business litigation, uninsured motorist, family law, same-sex property division, employment, wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, defamation, civil rights, elder abuse, contract law, product liability, partnership dissolution, real estate and probate matters. Matt combines expertise from his years of litigation with a friendly, comfortable style, allowing the parties to feel at ease with the process. He is effective with simple two-party disputes as well as more complex, multi-party litigation.

Matt believes that a successful resolution is one in which the participants have willingly made their own decisions and kept control over their own outcomes. Using both facilitative and evaluative approaches, he helps guide the participants toward resolution. Matt has conducted hundreds of mediations and arbitrations, and has completed several advanced mediation training programs. Mr. White was selected as a mediator for the First District Court of Appeal's pilot mediation project and lectures frequently on effective mediation techniques, trial skills, ethics, and mediation advocacy.

BACKGROUND

Matt White has maintained a private solo practice in San Rafael since 1995, with an emphasis on civil litigation, personal injury, mediation, and arbitration. He is also of counsel to Keegin, Harrison, Schoppert & Smith, handling business litigation matters for the firm. From 1979 to 1995, Matt had a personal injury practice in downtown San Francisco.

MEMBERSHIPS & CREDENTIALS

Memberships: Marin County Bar Assn. (President, 2004); Marin Trial Lawyers Assn; Consumer Attorneys of California; American Trial Lawyers Assn.; Richard M. Sangster Inn of Court; Assn. for Dispute Resolution of Northern California; State Bar Commission on Continuing Legal Education (1999-2001).

Lectures and Presentations (partial list): New Ethical Standards for Mediation and Arbitrators (Marin County Bar Association, 2003); Effective Use of Experts at Trial (S.F. Trial Lawyers Assn., 2002); Ethical Issues and Bias in Litigation (MCBA, 2001); Improving Your Results at Mediation (MCBA,2000); How to Win at Settlement Conferences (MCBA, 1999); Mediation Advocacy (MCBA, 1999); Ethical Issues in Litigation (Hastings College of Advocacy, 1998); Effective Mediation Techniques (MCBA, 1997); Direct and Cross-Examination (Hastings COA, 1996, 1997); Trial Preparation (Hastings COA, 1995).

EDUCATION

J.D., Hastings College of Law, 1979; B.A., University of California at Santa Cruz