Malcolm Sher

I am a full time mediator specializing in high-emotion, cross-cultural disputes in which I work closely with parties and their counsel to openly discuss their differences, identify and explore alternative settlement choices and, ultimately to creatively shape their own solutions.

• Holborn College of Law
• London University (L.L.B. [Hons.] 1969)

ADR Training and Teaching:
Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, "Mediating the Litigated Case"; Steven Rosenberg's Mediation Training, (2002) and Advanced Mediation Training, (2003); multiple seminars and workshops given by ADRNC; Hastings Center for Dispute Resolution; American Arbitration Association; International Academy of Mediators Symposium at Harvard University, (April 2006); Contra Costa, Alameda and San Francisco Bar Associations and State Bar of California.

• California Academy of Distinguished Neutrals;
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals;
• Association For Dispute Resolution of Northern California, (ADRNC);
• The Mediation Society, (former President)
• The Law Society of England and Wales.

Panel of Mediators and Arbitrators:
Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo, San Francisco, Sonoma, Solano Counties.  

Former member and Chair of State Bar of California Executive Committee on Mandatory Fee Arbitration; Chair, Contra Costa Bar Association MFA Committee and Client Relations Committee.

Bar Admissions:
California State Bar, 1976; U.S. District Court, Northern and Central Districts of California, 1976; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, 1990; Solicitor of the Supreme Courts of England and Wales, 1972.

Publications:
"Real Property Remedies and Damages Practice" (CEB) Co-author of publication's ADR section. Frequently publish articles in San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals, Mediate.com and local bar association journals.

$450 per hour for two parties and $500 per hour for three or more parties, split equally. This includes study time, site visits as necesssary and pre-mediation telephone conferences with counsel. There is a four hour minimum charge for the mediation session itself. I honor the "free time" requirements of court-sponsored ADR programs. I will negotiate flat fees of $8,000 per eight hour mediation session and $4,000 per four hour mediation session. These flat fees include all pre-session preparation. I require a deposit towards mediator fees of $6,000 split between the parties, sent with mediation briefs two weeks before the mediation session. I charge one hour travel time outside the immediate San Francisco Bay Area, regardless of the actual time spent in travel. I do not charge administrative fees, believing that parties' financial resources should be spent to facilitate productive negotiations.