Rio Vista Arbitration & Mediation Lawyers

Margaret B. Seymour, a retired U.S. District Judge (District of South Carolina, 1998–2022), was the first African American woman federal judge and chief federal judge in South Carolina. She served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge (1996–1998) before her district court appointment. Over 26 years, Judge Seymour presided over complex securities, contract, class action, commercial, banking, bankruptcy, employment, discrimination, and environmental cases, as well as criminal matters like drug conspiracies, white-collar crime, and Ponzi schemes. She sat by designation on the Fourth Circuit and participated in two three-judge-panel redistricting cases. She served twice on the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administration of...

Layn R. Phillips, founder of Phillips ADR Enterprises (PADRE), is a former U.S. Attorney and U.S. District Judge. Appointed at age 35 by President Reagan, he presided over 140+ trials in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas, and sat by designation on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Earlier, Judge Phillips served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, and at age 31, was nominated as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. After leaving the bench, he spent 23 years at Irell & Manella, focusing on complex civil litigation, internal investigations, and alternative dispute resolution. He later founded PADRE, specializing...

With 17 years of experience, Attorney Jennifer Miller combines legal knowledge with a caring and compassionate approach. When you need valuable legal advice and counsel, Attorney Miller provides a client-centered practice where your concerns are heard and your legal issues are resolved.

A native of Southern California, Paul graduated cum laude from Chapman University where he pitched for Chapman’s World Series baseball team. Paul then attended Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law, where he was extremely active in Mock Trial and ADR competitions, winning numerous top advocate awards. He gained valuable courtroom experience while externing with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Orange County and Riverside County District Attorney’s offices. After receiving his law degree, Paul moved to Chicago, IL and gained significant trial experience representing clients in all phases of litigation, from inception of the case through post-trial motions...

Bret is in the business of getting the best effort from everyone at the negotiating table. His litigation experience on both sides of the courtroom combined with his straight-shooting mediation style will put your path to settlement front-and-center. Before starting his full-time mediation practice, Bret Geckeler completed a formal practicum of mediation skills training, mediated dozens of cases in Los Angeles Superior Court, and undertook a mediation-clerkship with master mediator, Howard Broadman (Ret.) where he helped successfully mediate dozens of matters across the San Joaquin Valley. Bret’s mediation experience includes personal injury, wrongful termination, PAGA, medical malpractice, landlord-tenant, contract...

I have been an attorney in California since 2000 and a real estate broker in CA since 2007. I handle a variety of civil matters including landlord/tenant, real estate disclosure, partition, construction, breach of contract and personal injury. I do civil litigation as well as transactional matters including various contracts, licenses, agreements, etc. I also offer mediation services if you are looking for an effective and low-cost resolution to your matter. I am a solo practitioner and am very hands on with all my cases. If you hire me, you will be dealing with me directly, not an assistant. I...

Maciej Wesolowski is an owner and principal lawyer of Wesolowski Law Firm, a Beverly Hills based law practice that provides experienced and knowledgeable legal representation in the areas of: litigation, family law, real estate law, business law and immigration law. As a natural and strong leader Mr. Wesolowski assembled a team of dedicated, diligent attorneys and support staff who offer the highest standard of client care. Prior to establishing his own law firm Mr. Wesolowski worked as an international business investment consultant and litigator. Experiences gained throughout his career helped him to better understand his clients needs. Maciej Wesolowski has...

I am an Attorney licensed in California, New York, Nigeria and Cameroon. I have vast experience in civil litigation and a wonderful understanding of the law. I also handle transactional matters for a slew of clients. The law is not complicated and with any set of facts, if the law is on our side, I will do all it legally takes to ensure my client gets what they deserve.

Mr. Carroll was born and raised in the South Bay. He attended law school at Arizona State University. Thereafter, Mr. Carroll obtained an advanced law degree in trial advocacy from Temple University. Temple University Beasley School of Law has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top three trial advocacy programs in the country for more than twenty years. Before starting his own law firm in Hermosa Beach, California, Mr. Carroll served as an extern for a superior court family law judge and he also worked as an attorney for one of the premier boutique family...

Gerald Sauer has over 35 years of extensive jury trial experience and has handled numerous matters in alternative dispute resolution forums including arbitration and mediation. He has briefed and argued in both federal and state courts, as well as participated in oral argument before the California Supreme Court. He utilizes a pragmatic approach in helping employees assess their claims and finding the most desirable path to a resolution.

EXPERTISE IN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION Mari Frank is an attorney, mediator, Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), author, professor, and radio show host in private practice in California and Florida. She worked in the District Attorney’s Office, practiced insurance defense law, and had a general civil law practice. She has successfully resolved thousands of disputes as a neutral since 1985. Ms. Frank was the founding President of the Orange County Chapter of the Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution-Orange County, California. She served for three years as founding Chair of the State Bar of California Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee She is a...

Jeffrey Mishkin, a Phillips ADR neutral, is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the NBA and head of Skadden’s Sports Practice. He specializes in sports-related disputes involving antitrust, intellectual property, labor, gambling, and commercial matters. At the NBA, Mishkin managed all legal affairs, including litigation, labor relations, commercial transactions, intellectual property, and anti-drug programs, leading collective bargaining and the 1998-1999 NBA labor dispute. At Skadden, he represented major sports organizations like the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA, and others, as well as high-profile athletes, including a top-ranked golfer. Now a full-time mediator and arbitrator, Mishkin serves on the Court...

John S. Kiernan retired from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in 2022 after 40 years, serving on the Management Committee, co-chairing the Litigation Department, and chairing the Ethics Committee. He handled commercial litigation, arbitrations, mediations, and investigations in contracts, corporate governance, securities, intellectual property, and mass torts. Recognized by Chambers USA as an “extraordinary commercial litigator” with “great judgment” and by IFLR Benchmark Litigation as a leading litigator since 2010, John is also noted in The Legal 500 US and Best Lawyers for securities and dispute resolution. He chairs the Boards of Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, the William Nelson Cromwell Foundation,...

Kimberly Huebner serves as the Insurance Liaison for Phillips ADR, specializing in Directors’ and Officers’ Management Liability and Employment Practices Liability Insurance for companies and public entities. She facilitates communication between insurance carriers and Phillips ADR, reporting to panelists and coordinating further interactions. Before joining Phillips ADR, Kimberly was Vice President of Technical Claims for D&O Claims at AIG Claims, Inc. She tracked litigation trends, analyzed potential exposures, and reported divisional loads. Kimberly evaluated complex claims for strategic resolution and trained colleagues on claims handling, coverage evaluation, and negotiation. Kimberly earned a B.S. in Psychology from Roanoke College and a J.D. from...

Ann Cook brings a business-focused approach to Phillips ADR, leveraging a decade at Ernst & Young LLP, including two years as General Counsel. Experienced as both plaintiff and defendant, she understands dispute dynamics and has litigated, arbitrated, and mediated cases in accounting, securities, contracts, and employment. A creative problem solver, Ann advised on complex corporate initiatives, balancing risk and business goals, earning recognition as a tenacious leader. At EY, Ann managed legal strategy for a $20B firm with 50,000 employees, overseeing litigation and regulatory matters during high regulatory activity. She advised on public disclosure and bankruptcy issues for over 1,000 public...

Sean Coffey, a Phillips ADR neutral, served as the 24th General Counsel of the Navy (2022–2025), leading over 1,100 attorneys worldwide. Previously a renowned trial lawyer, he handled plaintiff and defense cases in securities, class actions, and complex litigation. At Latham & Watkins, he secured a directed verdict in a bet-the-company case. At Bernstein Litowitz, he led the $6.2 billion WorldCom Securities Litigation recovery. As Chair of Complex Litigation at Kramer Levin, he advised corporate clients. As Navy General Counsel, Sean founded the Taxpayer Advocacy Project and led the exoneration of 256 African American Sailors from the 1944 Port Chicago courts-martial,...

Caroline brings extensive mediation and problem-solving expertise to Phillips ADR, drawing from her roles as General Counsel at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Principal Deputy White House Counsel. Known for her communication, judgment, and legal acumen, she excels in advising Boards and senior leaders on dispute resolution. At PwC, Caroline managed all legal, regulatory, compliance, and governance matters, handling lawsuits and regulatory issues with potential damages in the billions. She led settlement negotiations and mediations with opposing counsel, clients, and regulators like the SEC and FDIC, while resolving internal conflicts within PwC’s global network. As Principal Deputy White House Counsel under President Obama, she...

Certified - Pepperdine University - Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

I am currently Litigation Director for Denning Moores APC and litigating cases in the areas of Civil Appeals and Writs, Medical Malpractice, Elder Abuse, Wrongful Death, Premises Liability, Real Estate and Land Use, Commercial Contracts, Construction Defect and Complex Business Litigation. Most of my background is in civil appeals and writs, which has given me a unique perspective on trial practice in vast areas of the law.

Danielle Menitove is an independent arbitrator and mediator specializing in commercial, consumer, and sports-related disputes, including antitrust, employment, intellectual property, gambling, anti-doping, and player-agent issues. Before her ADR practice, Danielle was a litigator at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York for over ten years, handling complex litigation in federal and state courts, government investigations, and advisory matters. Her cases involved antitrust, contract breaches, fiduciary duty, trade secrets, non-compete agreements, and unfair competition. In her sports practice, she represented major organizations like the PGA TOUR, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and NCAA, and served as a clerk for arbitration panels...