Sonoma Arbitration & Mediation Lawyers

45 years experience as litigation and business counsel; 20 years experience as court appointed and private mediator of business and real estate disputes; Martindale AV-rated; SuperLawyers

Karen Matcke Crosby Attorney / Mediator P.C. 35+ years of legal practice and 15+ years as a mediator. WHY MEDIATION CAN BE SUPERIOR TO COURT By Karen Matcke Crosby (2021) Court litigation exposes parties to great public exposure, expense and long delays in court proceedings. Litigants have little or no control over the procedural process. How a dispute arose in the first place, is given short shrift, failing to consider the parties’ intentions, experience in negotiations (or lack thereof), personality, ego, culture, norms, morals, bullying, customs, or values. What is heard in court is the representing attorney’s version of his client’s legal...

As a Certified Family Law Specialist, Jim Hoover represents clients in all aspects of family law litigation, including but not limited to, domestic violence, child custody and visitation, property identification, characterization, valuation and division, spousal support, child support, breaches of fiduciary duties, reimbursement claims, dates of separation, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and related matters. After many years of experience, Mr. Hoover skillfully settles and if necessary, litigates all of these issues. Mr. Hoover educates, advocates and acts in our clients' best interests on these issues. He pays particular attention to our clients' emotional and financial difficulties. Mr. Hoover attended Santa Clara University,...

Mr. Bartholomew, a native of Elk Grove, California, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the University of California, Davis, and his Juris Doctor from the same institution. Formerly a partner for 15 years with the law firm of Desmond, Miller, Desmond & Bartholomew, he co-founded the firm of Bartholomew & Wasznicky in 1989. He is a retired captain in the United States Army Reserve and is a licensed real estate broker. In addition to membership in the California Bar, he is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Tax...

Sonya L. Sigler is the founder of PractiGal LLC and is the creator of the WELCOME to the Next Level Process. She created this WELCOME Process to effectively sell herself when she needed to figure out a clear path forward professionally and personally. Having learned to do this work the hard way, Sonya now builds powerful storytellers who can then refine and polish their personal brand. This work empowers others to align their work and life visions and to approach both with a renewed vigor.
For the last twenty years, Sonya has worked with founders, team leaders, and their employees...

Dorit L. Goikhman is a licensed attorney, with years of experience representing clients in business, real estate, and family matters. Dorit graduated Brooklyn Law School in 2012, with a certificate in business law. During law school, she served as a debate coach for underserved NY youth, and won the CALI award for future excellence in accounting. After witnessing numerous clients spend fortunes and waste years of their lives in litigation, Dorit became interested in mediation and all that it has to offer. Dorit is committed in helping parties work together to obtain a mutually acceptable solution to their disputes at a...

David L. Axelrod began work as a teenager, selling scorecards in Dodger Stadium. After attending college, David L. Axelrod entered a career as Park Ranger and Fire Fighter, at the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) of Northern California. In 1988, David L. Axelrod graduated law school at the University of California, Berkeley, California, passed the bar, and commenced the practice of law. David L. Axelrod worked as Deputy Attorney for CALTRANS Legal Division in Los Angeles, California, and then as Deputy Tuolumne County Counsel in Sonora, California. Mr. Axelrod established the Sierra...

Shawn Dhillon is an experienced real estate attorney and the founder of Real Estate Law Corporation™. Shawn specializes in both real estate litigation and real estate transactional matters.

He has drafted and negotiated over $500 million in commercial real estate transactions all over California. His work includes complex real estate purchase and sale transactions, new developments, ground leases, and commercial leases with local, regional, and national companies, including several Fortune 500 Companies. Shawn regularly counsels owners of retail shopping centers, shopping malls, office buildings, industrial buildings, apartment complexes, self-storage facilities, hotels, gasoline service stations, as well as...

I have over 35 years of experience in bankruptcy consulting, litigation, and related appeals. I am dedicated to exceptional representation focused on the practical, cost-effective solutions you need. Visit my website for more information and representative cases.

Traci is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She graduated from Santa Clara University in 2000 and was admitted to the bar in December of that year. During her tenure at Santa Clara, she was the Sr. Technical Editor of the Computer Technology Law Journal and received a Certificate of Excellence in Legal Research and Writing. After graduation, Traci was recruited by a top corporate law firm. She worked at Gray Cary (now DLA Piper) from 2000 - 2002 as a securities and corporate transactional attorney. She was involved in...