Resolution Remedies

A Woman Owned Business

Cherie Sinclair, Principal

Cherie Sinclair began her career as a civil litigation paralegal, although you might say her specialty was off season travel.  In her early days at three different law firms, she was sent to Florida in June for a class action securities fraud case, to Hawaii in July for a hurricane insurance subrogation matter, and Alaska in January for trial, where her astute observation of the jury won her a spot on the witness preparation team.  She became the go-to paralegal for sharp document review, detailed interviews, and good writing.

Ms. Sinclair applied to law school and was accepted to USF Law with a Faculty Scholarship. However, she held off on attending in favor of starting a family and raising her two sons at home.

Nine years later, her divorce offered another perspective into the legal system.  Cherie’s experience with multiple child custody mediations and an all-consuming process informs her client-focused work at Resolution Remedies.  She also came to appreciate the value of negotiation, when one day’s negotiations right outside the courtroom yielded a stipulation to present to the judge, showing that the best result often comes when the parties lead, and the court follows.

Cherie returned to work as an Exigent Health paralegal, where she served asbestos plaintiffs who were elderly or terminal and needed an expedited, preferential process. By getting to know her clients, she wrote thorough, persuasive Declarations in support of their requests for early trial, which succeeded where prior requests had failed, and brought her clients and their families a measure of peace.

At Resolution Remedies, Cherie found a new home in law. In addition to its panel of extremely talented and honorable people, ResRem creates an environment conducive to resolution. She sees the latter as her role – to inform, facilitate, and even mediate, to pave the way for disputants, attorneys, and neutrals to do their best work together.

Having been a legal client, her empathy for disputants puts them at ease, and having worked closely with attorneys as a paralegal, she understands lawyers and the support they need to bring results for their clients.  She is a student of mediation and took Steve Rosenberg’s training in 2015.

Cherie is proud of Resolution Remedies’ adaptability and longevity. In 2017 she was instrumental in re-creating Resolution Remedies under Gary Ragghianti’s ownership.  In 2019, she became the second woman to own the company.  And in 2020, ResRem collaborated with American Legal Video Solutions to shift to Zoom during the pandemic and honor its commitment to continue providing top drawer legal services to the community.

“Cherie Sinclair is wonderful – despite my very cranky complaints she made me happy.
She’s amazing!” – Neil Moran

Cherie, I want to thank you.  This was a challenge to schedule, etc., and you were hugely helpful.  – J.L. (self-represented)

ADR Experience

2012-2017, Resolution Remedies, Case Manager
2017-2018, Resolution Remedies LLC, Executive Director
2019-present, Resolution Remedies LLC, Sole Member

Law firm experience

Farella Braun & Martel LLP
Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps LLP
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro
Shartsis Friese & Ginsburg LLP
Zelle & Larson LLP

Education

University of California, Davis, Bachelor of Arts, International Relations|French
University of San Diego, Graduate Paralegal Certificate, Civil Litigation, with Honors
[Accepted to USF School of Law with Faculty Scholarship]
Steve Rosenberg’s 40-hour mediator training

Diana Feil-Sharma, Zoom Facilitator, Bookkeeper, Administrative Assistant

Diana Feil-Sharma is the indispensable, level-headed woman that many of you know from attending Zoom mediation with Resolution Remedies. She is also the self-proclaimed Girl Friday who handles our books and lends administrative support.  “I have absolutely loved working with Resolution Remedies,” she says.  “The panel has been wonderful, professional, and so easy to work with.”  

Ms. Feil-Sharma is a business owner, as well:

American Legal Video Solutions
(deposition videography)
[email protected]

DFS Bookkeeping & Business Services
415-390-2903
[email protected]

“Diana, thank you for all your assistance in this case. You were above and beyond and I really appreciated your help all day. Also, thanks for your great coaching on how to use Zoom.” – Larry Baskin, Panelist

Our Founder

Diane Levinson-Fass

Diane Levinson-Fass bravely set out to form Resolution Remedies in 1995, just when mediation and arbitration services were beginning to flourish as viable alternatives to lengthy trials and pricey litigation. 

Diane left a career in advertising to work with noted Marin County attorney David Freitas, and it was her frequent contacts with other lawyers and judges that germinated the idea to enter the mediation field. 

“I’ve always trusted my gut feelings,” says the affable, energetic founder.  “I knew there was a crying need for effective, professional alternatives to dispute resolution.  I’d always ask the attorneys about the judges and what they were like, and I discovered that they ran the gamut.  A mosaic began to emerge, and I had a vivid picture in my mind about what a solid, diverse, viable, and effective mediation firm would look like.”

“The gift I have is intuition,” Diane says.  “I have extremely acute people skills.  Growing up in a boisterous Italian family in North Beach, mixed with the joy of being exposed to the Bay Area’s incredible wealth of legal and judicial talent – these things have sharpened my ability to recognize brilliance and put it to work in a collegial setting that is fluid, effective, fun, and ultimately successful.”

To this day, Resolution Remedies is inspired by Diane’s legacy, her visionary passion for her work, her boundless energy, a deep sense of empathy, and a firm conviction that patience and thorough preparation are the keys to sustaining a company that has served the community for decades.

Resolution Remedies endorses these woman owned businesses:

American Reporting Services
(court reporters, conference space)

711 Grand Avenue, Suite 150, San Rafael, CA 94901

800-624-8688

[email protected]

Theresa Go Photography

707-217-6362

[email protected]

Paula Suyehiro
Body Work & Massage Therapy

415-509-5193

[email protected]