Rebecca Westerfield Email: rebecca.westerfield.imi@jamsadr.com Phone: 415-774-2600 Fax: 415-982-528 Website: http://www.jamsadr.com/westerfield/international/ Address: Two Embarcadero Center Suite 1500 San Francisco, CA, 94111 United States Qualified by: Mediation locations United States - CA Mediation languages English Current position and background Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.) has settled and arbitrated over 2,500 cases throughout the United States as well as internationally. A full-time panelist since 1992, Judge Westerfield is widely perceived as a tenacious mediator and has an extremely high settlement rate. Main mediation practice areas Accounting, financial markets, banking, business/commercial, civil rights, class action/mass tort, employment, entertainment, estates/probate/trusts, franchise, government public agency, health care, insurance, personal injury, professional liability, real property, securities. Mediation experience Extensive mediation experience in a large variety of complex cases. Settled appellate cases in both state and federal court. Arbitrated numerous medical and legal malpractice, construction, commercial, environmental and healthcare cases, as well as disputes regarding significant attorneys fees. Representative Matters: Arbitrated multiple matters involving ICDR and International Arbitration Rules Mediated disputes among Middle Eastern rival religious sects over real property held in the U.S. Mediated or arbitrated disputes regarding buy-sell agreements of businesses in Russia and India Mediated disputes between manufacturers in Hong Kong, Thailand and India and distributors in U.S.
Mediated claims by American manufacturers involving suppliers from India. Mediated numerous personal injury cases involving residents outside the U.S. Frequently mediating cases involving British and European continental based insurance companies Successfully mediated an international breach of contract dispute involving a Turkish company and Turkish law. The case also involved issues due to the fact that a component of the product was produced in India and banking was done in Thailand. Mediated an international breach of contract case involving Dubai bankruptcy law and the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards Handled a dispute between American developers and a Caribbean sovereignty over the development of housing and a high-end resort Successfully resolved a dispute related to a joint venture between a German manufacturing company and closely held US corporation over product development Mediated multiple contract disputes with various European manufacturers Mediated a case with claims related to Central American energy sources Successfully resolved tort claims arising out of purported use of pharmaceuticals manufactured in Japan Mediated complex business dispute involving a dissolution of an Asian partnership with multi million dollar real estate holdings in both the US and India Mediated employment dispute involving US immigrant from Eastern Europe who allegedly harassed employees. Case involved sensitive cross-cultural issues Successfully resolved numerous employment matters with companies based in Europe and Asia. Visit http://www.jamsadr.com/westerfield for more detailed profiles by practice area as well. Description of mediation style Judge Westerfield uses both the facilitative and evaluative style in her mediations. She is known for her ability to grasp legal and factual issues quickly, as well as reading the personalities involved. She is particularly adept at dealing with matters that involve cross-cultural dynamics and high emotional content. Judge Westerfield manages the ADR process efficiently and fairly. Judge Westerfield is noted for her effectiveness in settling litigation with high emotional content, such as reorganization of closely-held businesses, dissolution of professional practices, serious personal injury and wrongful death claims, and family estate disputes. Code of professional conduct Mediators Ethics Guidelines. Complaint process IMI Professional Conduct Assessment Process. Professional indemnity insurance Provided through.
Feedback digest Reviewer: QAP ( imiqap@jamsadr.com ) Latest Update: 2016-02-23 23:18:52 This Feedback Digest is based on 10 feedback in 500 mediations, initially submitted on Tuesday 23rd February 2016. Judge Rebecca Westerfield is a highly regarded mediator known for her effective approach and deft touch. Repeat clients state her patience, persistence and persuasive communication skills are a few of the reasons they often request her as a mediator. A mediator with a high settlement rate, clients also appreciate her ability to develop relationships early in the day which also allows her to work well with difficult clients and difficult lawyers. Judge Westerfield is well respected by ADR users as she has earned a reputation for being knowledgeable, prepared and presenting unique settlement options. Clients comment that her value in a mediator is shown through her legal and analytical abilities and for being excellent with complex financial and insurance issues. In complex matters, clients laud her abilities to be extremely tenacious and creative in order to find sound solutions. Judge Westerfield is also known for handling highly emotional content and can relate to all parties in a mediation, from the layperson to CEOs, celebrities, professional athletes, and political entities. Clients routinely state that her acknowledgement and understanding of these emotional matters was a factor in her ability to settle the case. Professional affiliations Serves on ADR panel for the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California Appointed Judge, Circuit Court of Jefferson Co., Kentucky (court of general jurisdiction), 1987-1992 Admitted to Bar of United States Supreme Court, 6th and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeals Active member, State Bar of California Elected Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators "Top Master," Daily Journal Top California Neutrals List, 2013 "Top California Neutral," Daily Journal, 2002-2011 (since the inception of the recognition) Best Lawyer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Category, Best Lawyers in America, 2008-2015, and Northern California Super Lawyer, 2008, 2010-2015 Best Lawyer in the Bay Area, San Francisco Business Times, 2009 One of the Top Three Best Neutrals in the Bay Area, The Recorder, 2007 One of the 500 Leading Judges in America, by Lawdragon Magazine, 2006 Distinguished Mediator of the Year, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2003 One of the Top 10 Mediators in the Bay Area, The Recorder, 2002 Member, Advisory Council to the ABA International Human Rights Center, 2011-2014, and Advisory Board U.C. Berkeley School of Law, Human Rights Center, 2009-present Member, National Association of Women Judges, International Association of Women Judges, ABA Women in Dispute Resolution Committee Member, International Academy of Trial Judges, Northern California International Arbitration Committee Chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco's International Human Rights Committee, 2009-2011
Member, American Bar Association House of Delegates, 1987-1991, 1996-2008 Board of Directors, Bar Association of San Francisco, 1994-1997 Chair, American Bar Association Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities, 1994-1995 Community Involvement: President and Co-Founder of RockRose Institute, 2004-2014 Trustee of the World Affairs Council, San Francisco, 2011-present Advisory Board Facing History and Ourselves, 2009-present Board of Directors, Danny Weinstein Youth Foundation, 2004-present Board of Trustees, Town School for Boys, 2011-2014 Leadership Council, Convergence (Washington, D.C.), 2013-present, Board Member, 2015-present For further information, visit http://www.jamsadr.com/westerfield Fee rate Please contact my Case Manager: Melissa Ornstil Two Embarcadero Center Suite 1500 San Francisco, CA 94111 415-774-2600 Phone 415-982-5287 Fax Email: melissaornstil@jamsadr.com References Please contact my Case Manager: Melissa Ornstil Two Embarcadero Center Suite 1500 San Francisco, CA 94111 415-774-2600 Phone 415-982-5287 Fax Email: melissaornstil@jamsadr.com Mediation education and training Masters in Liberal Arts, Stanford University, 2008 J.D., University of Kentucky, 1975 (Law Journal, National Moot Court Team) B.A., University of Kentucky with distinction, 1972 Participant, International Human Rights Summer School, Oxford University-New College 2004. Mediation teaching and mentoring Adjunct Professor, University of California Berkeley School of Law Lecturer, Stanford Law
School Presenter, ABA Asia Pacific Summit on Mediation, New Delhi, India, 2015 Presenter, Private Commercial Mediation Conclave, Bangalore, India, 2015 Presenter, International Summer School on Business Mediation, Admont, Austria (2006, 2010, 2012, 2014) Trainer, ADR for Supreme Court of India (Delhi), High Court of Bangalore 2013. Mediation publications Co-authored the ADR chapter of CEB's Wrongful Termination Practice 2ed. (1997). "Enduring Optimism," ADR Profile, Daily Journal, June 28, 2013. see a list of publications at http://www.jamsadr.com/professionals/xpqprofdet.aspx?xpst=professionaldetail&professional= 1717de92-e262-475c-be06-aff21fb96d85&op=publications&ajax=no Note: This Mediator Profile is intended to offer guidance to users of mediation services about the competency, skills, styles and potential suitability of the IMI Certified Mediator featured above. The Reviewer, the Mediator and IMI are attempting to present fair, balanced and objective information but none are to be held responsible for reliance on the information given. Users of mediation services are encouraged to pursue further research before selecting the IMI Certified Mediator, including contacting references and conducting an interview with the Mediator before making a selection.