Signature Resolution

✍ Hon. Eddie C. Sturgeon (Ret.) on the discipline of preparation in mediation ✍ [Insert Article Link] In his recent Daily Journal Corporation profile, Judge Sturgeon reflects on the through-line connecting his judicial career to his current work as a neutral. Having carried heavy civil caseloads in San Diego County, he describes the gratitude he felt every time a private mediator resolved one of his cases — and how that experience now informs his own practice. What sets the profile apart is the consistency of the attorney commentary. Eric J. Beste of Barnes & Thornburg describes the rapport Judge Sturgeon builds with clients before the mediation even begins, taking time to understand each party's perspective and the story behind the dispute. Timothy S. Noon of Noon & Associates points to the same preparation, noting that Judge Sturgeon's command of the briefs lets him cut to the key probing questions early. Peter J. Schulz of Schulz Brick & Rogaski, who has used Judge Sturgeon on five construction and personal injury cases, puts him at the top of his mediator list. The piece also captures Judge Sturgeon's working philosophy: that mediators are most effective when they prepare thoroughly enough to ask the right ten or twelve questions, stay attuned to the backgrounds each party brings into the room, and remain flexible enough to change course mid-session. Noon recounts one mediation on the brink of breakdown seven hours in, until Judge Sturgeon shifted approach entirely and resolved the case. Judge Sturgeon brings more than three decades of judicial experience to his work as a neutral, with deep experience across complex commercial, construction, personal injury, and civil matters. To learn more about Judge Sturgeon or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact his case administrator, Susan Housh, at shoush@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #DailyJournal #Mediation #DisputeResolution #ADR #SanDiegoLegal #JudgeSturgeon

📣 Congratulations to Hon. Halim Dhanidina (Ret.) on being named Dean and Professor of Law at Western State College of Law at Westcliff University. 📣 Justice Dhanidina has been appointed to lead Orange County's oldest law school — a defining moment for the institution and a fitting next chapter for a career that has bridged the bench, the bar, and the academy. The first South Asian American justice in California history and the first Muslim appellate-level judge in the United States, he brings to Western State a rare combination of judicial leadership, courtroom experience, and academic engagement. Justice Dhanidina's career spans the full arc of the legal profession. Following his service as Associate Justice on the California Court of Appeal, Second District, and nearly six years as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, he worked as a litigation partner at Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP and Umberg Zipser LLP, handling complex commercial litigation, appeals, and investigations. He began his legal career as a Deputy District Attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, where he built the courtroom foundation that would shape his later work on both sides of the bench. Justice Dhanidina has served as an adjunct professor at UCLA, UC Irvine, Chapman University, and Western State, in addition to teaching judicial education courses across California. He continues to serve as a mediator and arbitrator with Signature Resolution, where he brings the same engaged, deliberative style that has defined his career to complex commercial, employment, real estate, professional liability, family law, and probate matters. For more information about Justice Dhanidina, or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact his case administrator, Erin Zicari, at ezicari@signatureresolution.com. Learn more about Justice Dhanidina: https://lnkd.in/g9d2hZAy #SignatureResolution #WesternStateCollegeOfLaw #LegalEducation #LawSchoolDean #JudicialExcellence #Mediation #Arbitration #DisputeResolution #ADR #JusticeDhanidina

📚 Join Hon. Amy D. Hogue (Ret.) and Abe Melamed at MassArbCon Tech Legal in Laguna Niguel this week. 📚 Two Signature Resolution neutrals will be speaking on the role of neutrals in mass arbitration: Session: The Role of Process Arbitrator in Mass Arbitration with Judge Hogue | Date: Thursday, May 28th | Time: 9:00 AM PT Session: The Role of Mediation in Mass Arbitration with Abe Melamed | Date: Thursday, May 28th | Time: 10:30 AM PT Judge Hogue and Abe will share perspectives from opposite ends of the dispute lifecycle — how process arbitrators help courts and parties navigate threshold and structural issues, and how mediation can move large-scale claim portfolios toward meaningful resolution. For more information about our neutrals, or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact info@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #MassArbCon #MassArbitration #Arbitration #Mediation #ADR #DisputeResolution #LegalCommunity #California

⚖️ Join Hon. Susan L. Greenberg (Ret.) at the 29th Annual “And Justice for All” Awards Lunch on Thursday, May 28th. ⚖️ Hon. Susan L. Greenberg (Ret.) is honored to serve as the keynote speaker for this year’s event hosted by The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County. The luncheon brings together members of the legal community in support of access to justice and recognition of those making a meaningful impact throughout San Mateo County. Date: Thursday, May 28th Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Location: Redwood City, CA Judge Greenberg brings decades of judicial and legal experience to her work as a mediator, arbitrator, and private judge at Signature Resolution. She is widely respected for her thoughtful approach, professionalism, and ability to help resolve complex disputes. For more information about Hon. Susan L. Greenberg (Ret.), or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact her case administrator, Minnie Nguyen, at mnguyen@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #LegalAid #AndJusticeForAll #LegalCommunity #Mediation #ADR #DisputeResolution #California #RedwoodCity

⚖️ Join Michèle Bissada for the AFCC | Association of Family and Conciliation Courts 63rd Annual Conference workshop "Parenting Plans and PPE Recommendations: Drafting with Specificity and Accountability" on Thursday, May 28th. ⚖️ Session: Parenting Plans and PPE Recommendations: Drafting with Specificity and Accountability Date: Thursday, May 28th Time: 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM Location: Seattle, WA Alongside Ariella Goodwine Fisher, MS, LMFT, this workshop offers concrete strategies for drafting detailed parenting plan provisions that create accountability and are easily interpreted, implemented, and enforced in high-conflict cases. Michèle Bissada brings more than three decades of California family law experience to her work as a mediator, private judge, and arbitrator at Signature Resolution. A Certified Family Law Specialist and AAML Fellow and Certified Mediator, she is widely regarded for her integrity, discretion, and ability to foster resolution in even the most complex and emotionally charged disputes. For more information about Michèle Bissada, or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact her case administrator, Jane Bernzweig, at jbernzweig@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #AFCC #FamilyLaw #ParentingPlan #HighConflict #Mediation #ADR #DisputeResolution #LegalCommunity #Seattle

⚖️ Join Hon. Ana Maria Luna (Ret.) at the Professional Fiduciary Association of California PFAC 31st Annual Educational Conference in Sacramento! ⚖️ Judge Luna will be speaking on the following panels: It’s A Trap! Don’t Fall For Fiduciary Scams Thursday, May 28 | 2:45 PM – 4:15 PM Above and Beyond: Tales Celebrating Fiduciary Innovation and Excellence Friday, May 29 | 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM Capacity Clash: Navigating the Interplay of Roles and Conflict in Fiduciary Practice Friday, May 29 | 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM Date: May 27–30, 2026 Location: Sacramento, CA Hon. Ana Maria Luna (Ret.) brings more than four decades of legal and judicial experience to her role as a mediator at Signature Resolution. Widely respected for her integrity, balanced approach, and compassionate demeanor, Judge Luna has extensive experience handling complex probate, conservatorship, guardianship, trust, and family law matters. During her nearly 33-year judicial career, she presided over high-conflict probate and family disputes with patience, diligence, and care, earning recognition as a thoughtful jurist and leader in judicial education and collaborative justice reform. For more information about Hon. Ana Maria Luna (Ret.), or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact her case administrator, Veronica Lancaster, at vlancaster@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #PFAC #ProfessionalFiduciary #FiduciaryLaw #ProbateLaw #FamilyLaw #Mediation #ADR #DisputeResolution #LegalCommunity #California

💭 A Strong Showing at the ASCDC 65th Annual Seminar 💭 Two days at the JW Marriott L.A. Live, more than 500 defense practitioners, and a program built around the question that defines the moment: what does it take to try and resolve cases well in the legal system taking shape around us? This year's ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DEFENSE COUNSEL's seminar marked 65 years of the Association's role as the voice of California's civil defense bar, and the program reflected the seriousness of the moment. Apolo Anton Ohno's keynote on reinvention and high-performance mindsets set a tone that the panels carried forward — sober conversations about nuclear verdicts and the recalibration of damages, the practical and ethical questions raised by artificial intelligence in litigation, jury science and the shifting psychology of the verdict, and the strategic choices defense counsel are making earlier and earlier in the life of a case to control exposure. Signature Resolution was glad to be part of the conversation, and our panelists spent the seminar in genuine dialogue with the practitioners and claims professionals doing this work every day. The neutrals who joined us: ▪️ Nolan Armstrong ▪️ Hon. Daniel Buckley (Ret.) ▪️ Joanna Curtis ▪️ Thomas (Tom) Feher ▪️ Hon. Edward A. Ferns (Ret.) ▪️ Scott Hengesbach ▪️ Hon. David R. Lampe (Ret.) ▪️ Mark Loeterman ▪️ Fatemeh Mashouf ▪️ Julianne Pinter ▪️ Angela J. Reddock-Wright, We welcome the opportunity to work with you on your next matter — whether you are weighing an early case assessment, preparing for mediation, building toward arbitration, or considering a special master to manage a complex file. For more information about our panelists, or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact info@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #ASCDC #CivilDefense #DefenseBar #NuclearVerdicts #AIInLitigation #JuryScience #Mediation #Arbitration #ADR #DisputeResolution

🌟 Celebrating Hon. Stephanie Bowick's (Ret.) 1st anniversary with Signature Resolution! 🌟 With more than three decades of legal and judicial experience, Judge Bowick brings a thoughtful and measured approach to resolving complex civil disputes, helping parties and counsel navigate challenging litigation with clarity, professionalism, and a strong command of the issues at hand. Her approach emphasizes careful listening, constructive dialogue, and practical problem solving that supports efficient and meaningful resolution. Before joining Signature Resolution, Judge Bowick served more than fifteen years on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, including over a decade presiding over an Independent Calendar Court handling unlimited civil jurisdiction matters. Prior to her judicial appointment, she built a broad litigation background representing both plaintiffs and defendants in private practice and public service roles, including as Assistant General Counsel for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Throughout her career, she has remained deeply involved in legal education and mentorship, regularly speaking on trial practice, civility, and litigation strategy. As she marks this milestone, we are proud to recognize Judge Bowick's continued contributions to alternative dispute resolution and the depth of experience and professionalism she brings to every matter. For more information about Judge Bowick, or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact her case administrator, Sandra Estropia, at sestropia@signatureresolution.com. Learn more about Judge Bowick: https://lnkd.in/gt8MqgbR #SignatureResolution #WorkAnniversary #Mediation #Arbitration #CivilLitigation #DisputeResolution #ADR #JudicialExcellence #JudgeBowick

✍ Mediating Tenant vs. Landlord Disputes: Finding the Middle Floor with Andrew Westley ✍ https://lnkd.in/gQt3m64C In his latest column for The Recorder, Andrew opens with the scenario every California landlord-tenant practitioner will instantly recognize — a long-term rent-controlled tenant, months of habitability complaints, a landlord who believed she had done everything right, and six hours into mediation, parties no closer to resolution than when they started. Andrew uses that hypothetical to walk through the doctrinal terrain that makes these cases so unusually difficult to settle: the absolute habitability covenant under California law, the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment as extended by Andrews v. Mobile Aire Estates, the dual system of rent-control and just-cause protection layered on top of AB 1482, and the mechanics of actual versus constructive eviction. The piece is direct about the math driving these standoffs — a $1,000 tenant in a unit now renting for $3,000, projected over twenty years and trebled under local mandatory ordinances, produces a $1.44 million liability. It is equally direct about the mediation challenges that emerge: insurance carriers discovering exclusions for wrongful eviction, multiple carriers fighting over time-on-risk apportionment, asymmetric risk where fee-shifting provisions create what Andrew calls a "tail wags the dog" scenario, and the harder-to-quantify problem of valuing a tenancy that, in a just-cause jurisdiction, can be tantamount to a life estate. Over forty years of practice across New York and California, Andrew built one of the Bay Area's most-recognized landlord-tenant practices and co-authored California Landlord-Tenant Litigation, the LexisNexis practice guide that has shaped how an entire generation of California practitioners approaches these matters. For counsel preparing a habitability, wrongful eviction, harassment, or rent-control matter for mediation, he brings something rare: the doctrinal depth of someone who literally helped write the book, and the practical perspective of someone who has spent four decades watching how these disputes actually resolve. To learn more about Andrew or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact his case administrator, Alexis Waathiq, at awaathiq@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #TheRecorder #LandlordTenant #HabitabilityLaw #RentControl #WrongfulEviction #Mediation #DisputeResolution #ADR #BayAreaLegal #AndrewWestley

💭 Reflections from the 2026 National Wildland Fire Conference 💭 Signature Resolution thanks the attorneys, experts, insurers, utilities, government officials, and industry leaders who gathered in Oceanside for three days of substantive conversation on wildfire prevention, resiliency, litigation, and policy. The 2026 National Wildland Fire Conference brought together the practitioners, regulators, and industry leaders shaping how wildfire matters are litigated and resolved across the country. The conversations that resonated most reflected how rapidly the field is evolving — cause-and-origin investigations integrating new forensic and remote-sensing technologies, mass tort dockets straining under the volume and complexity of aggregated filings, and vegetation management moving from operational practice into the center of liability analysis. We were proud to have Hon. Peter D. Lichtman (Ret.) speaking on the panel "Sustainability and the Toll of Wildfires – Policy and Legal Discussions Addressing the Multitude of Pressures in California and Around the Nation." Signature Resolution's wildfire panel includes neutrals with deep experience across the full lifecycle of these matters: ▪️ Hon. Daniel Buckley (Ret.) ▪️ Bruce Edwards ▪️ Hon. Peter Kirwan (Ret.) ▪️ Hon. Michael Latin (Ret.) ▪️ Hon. Peter D. Lichtman (Ret.) ▪️ Hon. Louis M. Meisinger (Ret.) ▪️ Angela J. Reddock-Wright, ▪️ Hon. Richard A. Stone (Ret.) ▪️ Hon. Eddie C. Sturgeon (Ret.) Whether you are at early case assessment, aggregated mediation, a special master assignment, or trial-track resolution, we welcome the opportunity to help move your matter toward resolution. For more information about our panelists, or to inquire about an upcoming dispute, please contact info@signatureresolution.com. #SignatureResolution #NationalWildlandFireConference #WildfireLitigation #MassTort #InsuranceCoverage #UtilityLiability #Mediation #SpecialMaster #ADR #DisputeResolution