Turn dead end conflicts into new opportunities.

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Sometimes I am advising a single person, organization, or business. Often I act as a mediator who brings people together to create new solutions to their conflicts.  My goal for clients is fresh understanding, new insights, practical but creative solutions. We reach these solutions faster, more flexibly, and with far less expense than litigation.

In addition to having mediated hundreds of cases, I have hands-on experience in these areas. I've founded businesses here and abroad, served on many land use and housing committees, provided expert witness testimony in ethics and condemnation cases, served on Realtor grievance committees, held an Oregon contractor's license, served as president of three statewide environmental organizations, and founded several small businesses.

As a widely published writer I offer expertise in careful wording and structuring of agreements.

Mediators have different opinions about the value of their own expertise. Many feel they do not need to have any special knowledge of the subjects about which clients disagree. Some even feel this is best.


Please continue to the other pages to learn more about my approach to conflict resolution and mediation and more about my expertise, experience, fees and contact information.
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What kind of cases benefit from my experience?

1. Divorce and family finance: including property division and joint ownership, disputed inheritance, personal property.
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2. Property and real estate conflicts: disagreements about sales and leases, real estate and valuation ethics, landlord-tenant issues.

3. Business disagreements and dissolution: family businesses, partnerships, small corporations

4. Land use and environment: land use policy, farm and forest, conservation easement negotiations

5. Construction and contractor disputes: disputes between contractors and subcontractors, between contractors and customers.

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I have helped individuals and businesses
​resolve conflicts
​for over 30 years. 

My role: 
 
1. Listen
2. Understand
3. Help my clients expand their range of possible solutions
4. Craft a win-win agreement

I believe that my personal work in the areas in which I mediate, enables me to listen better to what my clients say. Better understanding leads to better advice and mediating. Because mediation is voluntary and both parties must agree, the first agreement is on what form of mediation is acceptable to my clients. Each case calls for its own arrangements. In general,  whether working with a family or business, I like to mediate with all parties present. At the other end of the spectrum, mortgage renegotiation or reconciliation can take place on line. Other cases are best served by "shuttle mediation".

Bottom line: clients choose the form of mediation. I'm glad to describe the possibilities and even willing to change the arrangements when the clients agree on a new format.
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Examples from my work.

• A husband and wife work out what to do about a thriving joint business, a home, a second home in another country, pension funds, and insurance proceeds.  
• Government officials, developers, environmentalists and property owners come to an agreement on how to shape the future of ocean front property.  
• California homeowners need on-going advice as they negotiate with CalDot on compensation for a partial taking of their property, noise and environmental damage, and the loss of a vital well. The state has years of experience and many negotiators; the homeowners have none.  
• A small newspaper’s editors and share holders enter discussions with the majority shareholder on a buy out while the editors themselves need mediation of their divorce.  
• American shareholders in a Russian-American business want to be bought out.  
• An organic farmer and a neighboring traditional large farm want to create a settlement about access and pesticides.