Coto de Caza Lawyers

Michelle Yoshida, a full-time mediator, arbitrator, and special master since 2007, joined Phillips ADR in 2014. Previously with Judge Daniel Weinstein’s team, she has mediated over 500 disputes with billions in settlements, excelling in complex cases involving securities, insurance, professional liability, ERISA, and trustee issues. Known for quickly grasping legal and factual complexities, she manages large ADR cases with objectivity and determination, finding practical solutions for disputes ranging from personal contracts to major corporate matters. Michelle builds trust and productive relationships with mediation participants. Before becoming a neutral, she was a trial attorney handling complex business litigation, including contracts, insurance, intellectual...

Edwin V. Woodsome, a Phillips ADR neutral, was managing partner of Dechert LLP’s Los Angeles office and head of Global Litigation at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. With over 35 years of trial experience, he has handled consumer fraud, False Claims Act, securities, product liability, trade secrets, employment, antitrust, and intellectual property cases in state and federal courts. He has extensive appellate, mediation, and arbitration experience, including the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California’s mediation panel. Woodsome represented major firms in transportation, banking, technology, aerospace, and entertainment, serving as U.S. national litigation counsel for a global logistics company and...

Miles, a Phillips ADR mediator, excels in securities, antitrust, professional liability, mass torts, and complex commercial litigation, closing settlements totaling nearly $3 billion. Previously, he was a renowned trial and appellate lawyer for over 40 years, serving as Global Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Litigation Department. Recognized as a “legendary litigator” by the New York Law Journal, he received its Lifetime Achievement Award and accolades from Chambers USA, Best Lawyers (New York City’s Lawyer of the Year for Securities Litigation), and the Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame. His economics and mathematics expertise aids in analyzing damages and crafting innovative settlement...

Barry R. Ostrager, a retired New York State Supreme Court Justice (Commercial Division, 2015–2023), presided over numerous trials and resolved hundreds of commercial cases. Before his judicial role, he was a litigation partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, leading its 300+ attorney Litigation Department and serving on the management committee. As lead trial counsel, Ostrager handled high-profile securities, antitrust, and insurance cases, including Swiss Re’s World Trade Center dispute and Travelers’ environmental coverage case against Shell Oil, both resulting in jury verdicts. He tried five cases involving $1 billion+ disputes and led major arbitrations, such as Andersen Consulting’s $14 billion...

Bill Ohlemeyer brings 40 years of experience to Phillips ADR, representing plaintiffs, defendants, and working at Altria Group. He has litigated, arbitrated, mediated, and tried cases in state and federal courts, advising on legal and regulatory challenges. A Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Bill graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri Law School and clerked for Chief Judge Scott O. Wright. He joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon, becoming partner in 1991, then served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Altria (1999–2008), managing litigation for Philip Morris...

Niki, a Phillips ADR neutral for six years, brings 25 years of experience in complex litigation, claims administration, mediation, arbitration, and special master roles. A protégé of Judge Layn Phillips, she has co-mediated hundreds of cases, applying his innovative practices in mediations she leads and in court-appointed special master roles nationwide. Before Phillips ADR, Niki was Vice President of Client Strategy & Development at a national class action claims administrator. For nearly 15 years, she litigated securities fraud and complex commercial cases at a national class action law firm, securing court-approved settlements in high-profile matters. She also represented defendants in insurance...

Gregory P. Lindstrom, a Phillips ADR neutral since 2014, brings extensive litigation and business experience from his roles as a Latham & Watkins litigation partner and General Counsel of The Irvine Company. A full-time mediator and arbitrator since 2012, he specializes in complex disputes, including antitrust, securities, intellectual property, and commercial matters. Born in California, Greg graduated summa cum laude from UCLA (Economics, 1975) and earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School (1978), working with Professor Richard Posner. At Latham & Watkins (1978–2008), he became a partner in 1986, managed the San Francisco office, and served on the...

Chuck Stevens joined Phillips ADR after a 40-year career as a litigation partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, U.S. Attorney, and neutral in ADR matters. At Gibson Dunn’s San Francisco office, he served as managing partner for six years and was recognized by Lawdragon (2023 Leading Global Litigators), Benchmark Litigation (2024 Litigation Star), and Chambers (Band 1, California Litigation). He was named San Francisco’s Lawyer of the Year for Bet-the-Company Litigation (2019) by Best Lawyers. Chuck founded a boutique litigation firm, handling complex civil cases and qui tam matters. As a neutral, he mediated for the Eastern District of California’s Voluntary...

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...

Jon Mason is one of the brightest stars in the field of Orange County Family Law. Jon has dedicated his life to education and learning, obtaining an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Florida’s lauded College of Journalism and Communications, focusing his studies on the complex discipline of media law. After finishing his Master’s Degree, Jon took his considerable writing and communication skills to a San Diego advertising and marketing firm and continued his study of law at Chapman University Fowler School of Law in Orange County, California. During...

My practice consists of labor and employment issues, including the following: * Fair Employment and Housing Act and Title VII claims, including race, national origin, age, gender, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment and retaliation * Wrongful termination in violation of public policy * Whistle blower actions * Breach of contract claims * Labor Code § 132(a) claims before Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board * Hearings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) * Hearings before the California Labor Commissioner and Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board * Americans with Disabilities Act...

Ajay is an associate attorney based out of our Orange County Office in Irvine, California. He has been licensed to practice law in the state of California since 2014. Throughout his legal career Ajay has developed a wide-array of skills and in depth business knowledge having earned his MBA and having operated his own law firm and a business consulting firm focused on serving clients in California’s growing legal cannabis and industrial hemp industry. His business experience and knowledge provides a unique dynamic to his representation of men and fathers who are business owners, entrepreneurs, or executives with unique compensation structures. Ajay has...