Mediation & Arbitration for Trust, Probate and Business Matters

Walt is an experienced mediator with a proven success rate in settling cases in all forms of trust, probate, and business litigation disputes. His law practice, dedicated to trust and probate matters, combined with past industry experience in contract negotiations and problem solving, make him an ideal mediator or arbitrator for litigation involving trust or probate matters, as well as complex business disputes.

Walt offers a flexible style of mediation support depending on the participants’ needs. He is able to offer evaluative feedback on factual and legal issues based on his extensive experience in trusts, estates, and business law, and he has developed skills in facilitative settlement techniques which enable him to find creative solutions to difficult mediation issues. Walt requires each of the parties to provide a short, written mediation brief prior to the settlement meeting, laying out the key issues to be resolved and the party’s supporting facts, legal authority, and key documentation.

His formal training as a mediator started with a 40-hour course at the Pepperdine Law School in 2002, and he has been involved in workshops and continuing legal education programs on conflict resolution since that time. He served on the Los Angeles Superior Court Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Panel for over five years, which led to a private mediation practice in conjunction with his law practice. He is on the Court’s Oversite Committee for its volunteer Probate Settlement Officer Panel, and serves as a pro bono mediator under the panel.