Deborah Rothman, Esq.

T: 310.203.8200
F: 310.203.8211

Deborah Rothman is a trained, experienced, knowledgeable, fair and dedicated neutral who engenders the trust and confidence necessary to consistently facilitate mutually acceptable settlements. A fair, dedicated, creative, cost-conscious arbitrator of complex cases who collaborates with counsel early and frequently to effectively phase the discovery and tailor the hearing process to the clients and their particular dispute, and to facilitate the parties' early assessment of settlement options. Deborah Rothman was named one of Southern California Super Lawyers as well as one of the Best Lawyers in America in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Deborah Rothman was also named one of the Top 32 Hollywood Reporter Esq. Power Mediators for 2007 as well as one of the top arbitrators in California by Who's Who Legal in 2009

EDUCATION:

(June, 1971) B.A., Yale College, Magna cum Laude.
(June, 1976) Juris Doctor, New York University School of Law.
(June, 1976) Masters, Public Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University.

ADR TRAINING:

Certified in mediation by L.A. County Bar Association ("LACBA") Dispute
ResolutionServices ("DRS")
Trained by Army Corps of Engineers: construction partnering
Trained by Department of Justice: mediation of ADA claims
ADR Training: Extensive arbitration & mediation training (available on request)

LEGAL EXPERIENCE:

(1991-Present) Fulltime private dispute resolution
(1984-1988) CEO, Baby Fair Enterprises
(1976-1980) Litigation attorney, Manatt Phelps Rothenberg & Tunney

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE:

Nationally-recognized arbitrator and mediator experienced in the resolution of complex disputes in all areas of civil law, domestic and international, in a wide variety of industries: commercial, banking and savings and loans; employment (discrimination - sex, race, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation & sexual harassment; wrongful termination; retaliation; wage & hour class action; breach of covenant not to compete); aerospace/defense; aviation liability/pilot instruction; accounting firms, antitrust, business torts, car wash establishments, carpet cleaning; commercial contracts & leases, communications, computers-technology; consumer disputes; construction defect & earthquake damage; entertainment (radio, TV, motion picture production, songwriter credits/royalties, personal management); fast food franchises; First Amendment, foreclosure; health care - doctors, pharmacies, nursing homes, HMO's, hospitals; law firm and other partnership dissolutions, fee disputes and employment disputes; direct marketing; multi-level marketing; medical and legal malpractice; nursing homes, negligence, personal injury; school districts, police departments, municipalities, and U. S. Postal Service; probate; product and premises liability; real estate; securities; software joint venture; security guard services, taxation-municipal and corporate; trade secret theft and unfair competition.
American Arbitration Association, National Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators. Specialty panels: Large Complex Case, eCommerce, Center for Responsible Appraisals and Valuations, Commercial and Employment Law
EEOC (L.A. District Office) Panel of Mediators
Key Bridge Foundation (U.S. Dep't of Justice ADA) Panel of Mediators
FINRA Board of Arbitrators and Panel of Mediators
Office of the Independent Administrator (Former Kaiser Arbitration Panel)
L.A. Superior Court Probate Mediation Panel
U.S. Postal Service, Panel of Mediators
U.S. District Court, Central District of CA, Attorney Settlement Officer
CA Department of Insurance, Earthquake Claims (Former Mediation Panelist)
Sizzler bankruptcy, (Former Mediation Panelist)
Piper Aircraft bankruptcy, (Former Mediation Panelist)
Prudential Life Insurance class action settlement Appeals (Former Appeals Reviewer)
Merrill Lynch gender discrimination class action, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL (Former ADR panelist)
Smith Barney gender discrimination class action, Duke University Priv. Adjudication Ctr., N.C. (Former ADR panelist)

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Business/Commercial
Employment/Labor
Entertainment
Family Law
Insurance
Real Estate
Construction
Probate
Antitrust
Personal Injury
Medical and Legal Malpractice

HONORS / AWARDS:

Southern California Superlawyer '06, '07, '08 and '09
One of the Top 32 Hollywood Reporter Esq. Power Mediators for 2007
Who's Who Legal: California (Arbitrators) 2009
Best Lawyers in America '06, ‘07, ‘08 and ‘09

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / AFFILIATIONS:

Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators, American Arbitration Association, Large Complex Case Panel, eCommerce B2B, CRAV (Center for Responsible Appraisals and Valuations), Commercial and Employment Law Panels
Office of the Independent Administrator ((Former Kaiser Arbitration Panel)
Former Board of Directors, Dispute Resolution Services Inc., L.A. County Bar Association
Former Chair, Beverly Hills Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Section (2005-2006)
Former Chair, Beverly Hills Bar Association ADR Section (2004 - 2005)
Diplomate Member, California Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
Board Member and Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators

SPEAKER / AUTHOR / TRAINER ON ADR:

American Bar Association, CEB, American Arbitration Association, California Labor and Employment Law section, LACBA, Matthew Bender, P.L.I., L.A. City Attorney's Office, LEFTJAW, Boeing, UCLA, USC, various law firms, LATLA, L.A. Athletic Club, PIHRA, L.A. Superior Court, and Automobile Club. Articles have appeared in California Labor & Employment Law Quarterly, the Daily Journal, ABTL Report and CPR Alternatives. Deborah Rothman is a Contributing Editor to Guide to Best Practices in Commercial Arbitration put out by the College of Commercial Arbitrators (Juris Net, 2006).

LANGUAGES:

Fluent in Spanish; some French and Italian.

INTERESTS:

Reading, Travel, Theater, and Psychology

AVAILABLE:

Nationally

Download Deborah Rothman's Profile (PDF)