Bob Smith did a superb job of quickly learning the issues and assessing the parties’ positions. He worked well with all the different personalities and was, at times, charming, persuasive and beguiling… The fact that he could help bring a diverse and fractious group to agreement reveals his talents as a commercial mediator.
Defense Attorney
Thank you very much for resolving the matter. Counsel for the defendant stated on today’s record that they thought it was impossible and thanked you for making it possible.
Ronald M. Quidachay, Presiding Judge
SAN FRANCISCO SUPERIOR COURT
By the end of the day, all those people with all their concerns felt they had an opportunity to be heard and understood.
The settlement agreement addressed each defendant’s contributions to the total and thorny payment timing issues.
No misunderstandings arose after the mediation, and everyone performed their agreed upon parts.
Bob saved all parties many, many thousands in litigation fees and costs.
Plaintiff’s Attorney
We were very pleased with the professional manner that Robert Smith handled our mediation. He sacrificed his lunch hour until we reached a settlement and stayed until all agreements were signed… His resume is impressive, and he lived up to our expectation in being fair and impartial.
Plaintiff Company
Mr. Smith’s tenacity and diligence is what it took to resolve this case. It took 3 sessions, and he succeeded. Kudos to Mr. Smith.
Santa Clara Superior Court Evaluation
Bob managed to pull off a near-miracle when he achieved a mediated settlement in a one-day art-related intellectual property dispute.
The day started with nearly 30 participants ranging from people who couldn’t afford to pay for parking meter to real estate developers and brokers, from many cultures: Latino, Asian, and WASP. Some needed interpreters…
Plaintiff’s Attorney
I have been a representative in 500 to 600 mediations. Mr Smith is the best mediator I have seen in any of those.
Representative for Postmasters,
National Association of Postmasters of the U.S.
Mr. Smith’s most important role was being able to personally engage the plaintiffs in the settlement process. He was able to do this on a very human, person-to-person level because he was able to personally converse with the Spanish-speaking plaintiffs in their native tongue.
Plaintiff’s Lawyer
In thirty years of practice, I do not recall ever having worked with a mediator who so capably brought parties together. After a full day of mediation, the parties were still so far apart and the mutual ill will so profound that I had virtually lost hope of settlement and packed my briefcase to depart. Mr. Smith, however, felt that a settlement was still possible, and he persisted. Within another two hours, a settlement had been achieved.
Defense Attorney
Looking back, I have to admit that the prospects for a successful mediation of our matter did not seem to me to be very high. In fact, I was of the opinion that the effort was barely worthwhile. Wrong!
In-house Counsel
I am pleased to recommend Mr. Smith because of his quick grasp of the facts and law, his ability to translate that understanding into case evaluation and his ability to communicate effectively with sophisticated professional litigants as well as with participants who have no prior involvement with the legal system.
Plaintiff’s Lawyer
He took neither side in the process but used his personality and experience to develop logical arguments and hypothetical positions which required both sides to consider other options and possible outcomes. The result was a solution to a legal dispute which had been festering since 1993.
CEO of Defendant Company
Mr. Smith had the ability to persuade both sides to agree to a settlement. Without his involvement, both sides would have expended needless hours and money in further litigation, with probably the same result.
Plaintiff’s Lawyer
Thank you again for your efforts in successfully mediating my client’s intellectual property dispute. I have no doubt that your firm grasp of the dot.com industry, in conjunction with your mediation skills, are primarily responsible for the successful, early resolution of the dispute.
Intellectual Property Attorney
Lawyers came from large, medium, and small firms.
Legal issues ranged from technical IP issues to customary real estate disclosure duties.
Tense and lengthy negotiations ensued, where esthetics and spiritual concerns were pitted against commerce and money, yet Bob still managed to inject humor mixed with a solid dose of realism…
Plaintiff’s Attorney
The parties were efficiently brought to a meeting of the minds, details of their agreements were worked out, and both the parties and their counsel left the mediation satisfied with the effort.
Defense Attorney
Mr. Smith has served as Director of Mediation at the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) in London. He was also an Academic Visitor to the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford, where he taught a seminar on mediation theory and practice to graduate law students.