Civil Service

 Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution, is a way to resolve disputes outside the courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons, which renders the 'arbitration award'. An arbitration award is legally binding on both sides and enforceable in the courts. 

 I help you talk with the party with whom you are having a dispute. I do not give legal advice. I am a neutral and impartial guide in helping you come up with possible solutions, stay on track, and clarify areas of agreement and disagreement. My ability to help you and the other party see the conflict from each other side’s point of view and reach a settlement agreement is Supreme Court Certified.  

Civil law is a separate area of criminal law. Typically, civil law deals with individual and/or organizational conflicts. In other words, they are private-party disputes. These are behaviors that break the laws that society has developed for its members’ security and well-being. Civil law can also lead to heavy penalties or other implications, but in contrast, the sentences can often be much lighter. 

 Family law is a legal practice area that focuses on issues involving family relationships, such as adoption, divorce, and child custody. These include marriage and parenthood among others. For this reason, family law practice can involve work with  varying groups from children to the elderly and any others in between.  

 Mediation is a way for people who are having a dispute to talk about their issues and concerns and to make decisions about the dispute with the help of another person (called a mediator). A mediator is not allowed to decide who is right or wrong or to tell you how to resolve your dispute. In mediation, you can try to find solutions that make sense to you and the other person in the dispute to resolve some or all of your concerns.  

Elder law practices the mediation of matters involving one or more people with issues related to aging, illness, incapacity, or other vulnerabilities associated with persons 60 years of age or older. This focus area helps elders and their families to work together to make effective decisions. Our trained Elder Mediator assists elders and their families as they make the important decisions that impact their quality of life - including financial concerns, driving privileges, living arrangements, and healthcare concerns.  

Chinwe Egbunike-Umegbolu

"Theoretically, Mediation is a process whereby a neutral third party facilitates two or more parties in dispute to communicate with each other to make them reach an agreement voluntarily. On the other hand,  family mediation entails facilitation of family members who are in disagreement with each other to communicate among themselves to foster a qualitative transformation of human interaction. In many cases, family mediation involves couples who are about to get a divorce or whose relationships have broken down near irretrievably or divorced parents."

Adrienne Krikorian

"Ninety-five percent of cases filed in the California court system settle before trial. Some settle early, others settle on the eve of trial or as close as after a jury is picked. The difference between the former and the latter is the amount of money and time a party will spend in getting from one point to the other. Depending on the type of case, the  cost could range from hundreds to several thousands of dollars. Often, the costs are not recovered at the time of settlement. Thus both parties bear their own burden of costs. Mediating a case before a lawsuit is filed enables the parties to present their case to a mutually selected neutral person before any money is spent on litigation." 

Gregg Relyea & Carla Marcucci

"The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread court closures and limited operations, promoting ADR suddenly and squarely into the forefront as the primary method of conflict resolution. - If conflict resolution practitioners step up to the challenges, ADR may well come to the fore in the minds of the general public and not only with lawyers, insurance companies and commercial enterprises. This may require re-thinking of old paradigms and becoming unstuck from old notions. Mediators and conflict resolution professionals are being asked to adapt--and quickly--to the issues and circumstances of the day."