Biographical Notes:

After forty years litigating in California and the U.K., Malcolm Sher transitioned to full time mediation. He specializes in mediating high emotion and cross-cultural disputes and has resolved hundreds of cases involving real property, (including boundary disputes and partition actions), commercial and residential landlord-tenant disagreements, business and contract disputes, secured financing, partnership negotiations, trust/estate conflicts, elder abuse, professional liability (brokers, lawyers and CPAs), and insurance disputes, as well as personal injury cases involving real property, wills, trusts, inheritence, and employment. He is proficient in using the Zoom videoconferencing platform.

A law graduate of the University of London, he is admitted in both California and the United Kingdom. For eleven years, he authored the Annual Supplement to CEB “Real Property Remedies and Damages” book and now co-authors the ADR section of that treatise.

Malcolm has undergone hundreds of hours of mediation and arbitration training including “Mediating the Litigated Case” at the Straus Institute for Conflict Resolution at Pepperdine University, a symposium at the Harvard Negotiation Project and Steve Rosenberg’s Basic and Advanced Mediator Training courses. He has given numerous seminars on mediation and negotiation for CEB, Lorman Education Services, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Alameda, and Sonoma Bar Associations. He is a foundation member of the California and National Academies of Distinguished Neutrals and has an “A-V” rating in Martindale.

Malcolm believes that disputants who are treated fairly, with respect and dignity are empowered to fashion their own “win-win” solutions. He utilizes a flexible, improvisational approach and is willing to be “evaluative”, to explore “what-ifs” and ask probing questions to assist parties and their counsel to identify risks and benefits while gently encouraging them to face reality and shape creative solutions.

Says Sher, “I am never “directive” because I think that undermines clients’ rights to self-determination. In convening a mediation, I discuss efficient, cost-effective suggestions for pre-mediation discovery designed to meet the needs and budgets of parties. As my many testimonials show, I have a reputation of being qualified, competent and well-prepared.”

Education:

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, “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
• University of California Extension –Teresa Cary Training- guest presenter on “Cross-Cultural Mediation”
• Bar Assoc. of San Francisco – presenter “Mediation is a Process, Not An Event”

ADR Experience:

Memberships & Affiliations:

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

Panel of Mediators and Arbitrators:

• Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo, San Francisco, Sonoma, Solano and Yolo Counties
• State Bar of California Executive Committee on Mandatory Fee Arbitration, 2009-2015
• Contra Costa Bar Association MFA Committee and Client Relations Committee
• State Bar of California Litigation Section ADR 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 Practice” (CEB) annual Supplement 1985-2002; currently Co-author of publication’s ADR section. Frequently published articles in San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals, Mediate.com and local bar association journals.