Testimonials

"Malcolm Sher has proved himself to be an extremely skilled mediator. With firm but courteous guidance, he managed to settle a real property partition action (with some other related claims) which was spinning out of control and had defied many previous attempts at resolution. He is not only an excellent analyst of the legal and factual issues, but he is also gifted in handling the "human element" - the powerful feelings of the parties which can often stand as an obstacle to settlement. I would not hesitate to recommend him as a mediator in virtually any kind of case."

"Thank you for your very competent assistance in bringing this nightmare to a graceful, if not exotic, end."

"I wanted to tell you that I appreciated your approach to the mediation and your willingness to explore the specific legal issues in the case, and you even had the legal practice guides and authorities on hand to consult, which I believe made an undeniably big difference in coming to a resolution of this case."

"Thanks again for your efforts yesterday. The Admiral and I had a nice chat after and I believe he was satisfied and so were we. How many times do you get a win win!! You are truly a magician and yesterday you worked your magic. You won't be forgotten."

"You did a masterful job. Great work in settling a very difficult case."

“Thank you for your great assistance in connection with this mediation! Your preparation, engagement, and respect for the parties and the process were instrumental in facilitating the settlement.”

"Malcolm Sher has mastered the critical skills of an effective mediator. My clients and I found him to be hard-working, well informed on the subject matter, a fair-minded professional, civil and very insightful. Above and beyond those skills, his pre-mediation preparation was, in a word, extraordinary. Also, this was a multi-party, multi-issue litigation where the parties came into the mediation with firmly-held positions and entrenched emotions. It is easy for a neutral to lose control in such situations, but Mr. Sher managed the people and the process quite adeptly. Although the case did not settle, his efforts broke difficult ground for future discussions, and also provided a better understanding of issues of fact, law and the parties themselves. It is the true mark of an exceptional mediator when the parties, although they did not settle their dispute, nonetheless considered the time well-spent."

"Your mediation services are deserving of the highest praise. Settlement of the case presented to you was thought by both counsel to be hopeless. However, your patience, insight and understanding of both the substantive and the underlying conflicts at issue, including the involvement of various extended family members...enabled a fair and rational settlement of the conflict by an ingenious compromise never imagined by the parties or their respective counsel. Your mediation services are recommended without reservation, especially in any complicated case with foreign, cultural and/or difficult familial issues."

"Malcolm Sher is an effective mediator. Initially, my clients were skeptical about mediation and did not expect any results. It took eight and a half hours, but the case settled. The case was very difficult, partly because of the high level of emotions and feelings of betrayal on each side. Mr. Sher was able to help the parties move beyond their anger and look at the practical side of trying the case."

"Mr. Sher is very skilled at understanding a client's underlying emotions and motivations."

"Thank you for your fine efforts at the mediation of the above case. Although the case did not settle, I was impressed with your quick understanding of the legal issues, the underlying issues in this family dispute and the risks to each side not settling. My client and I very much appreciated your patience and judicial-like demeanor in working through the issues with both sides. Suffice it to say, the next time that I have the opportunity to select a mediator in your area, you will be at the top of my list. "

"I would like to thank you for your superb work as mediator in helping to resolve this matter. Without your persistence, keen understanding of the law and ready grasp of the facts, I have no doubt that there would not have been a resolution at this early stage. In my experience, you are one of the most effective mediators I have had the pleasure of working with in 25 years of civil litigation practice."

"You mediated a complicated real estate dispute involving an unsophisticated real estate investor, legally sophisticated real estate investors and a broker. You were able to get to the heart of the dispute quickly and facilitate settlement in one day. Your ability to communicate effectively with these divergent groups was instrumental to the successful outcome."

"Thank you for your superb work in bringing the parties together to settle the dispute. Your ability to evaluate the dispute from the legal perspective combined with your empathy for the parties helped bring an end to the lawsuit in a timely fashion before the costs and expenses skyrocketed. Last Monday I learned a few things that will help me improve my (own) mediation skills."

"I wish to thank you for your hard work which resulted in the settlement of the dispute. I particularly appreciated your call before the mediation. This allowed counsel to privately advise you of the impediments to settlement that might be difficult to express during the mediation. I also share your view that providing food for everyone assists in creating an atmosphere for settlement. Your willingness to keep at the process until 9:00 p.m. also insured the parties would reach an agreement. "

"I have no doubt that but for your skills as a mediator, our matter would not have settled.Your efforts late in the day kept the mediation from unraveling when both parties were ready to leave before the dispute was resolved. It was clear from the beginning of the mediation that you were prepared and had an understanding of the underlying issues between the parties. Thanks, again for your assistance and for playing a very important role in resolving the matter. "

"You did a skillful job in weaving the disparate claims into a settlement. I thought you were particularly insightful in explaining that this litigation belonged to the parties and that resolution would serve everyone's interest. It didn't hurt that you analyzed the merits of the parties' claims thoughtfully and with expertise that I believe is frequently lacking in mediation. In other words, you took the time to figure out the flaws in everyone's positions to make a resolution a wise alternative to spending more lawyers' fees. Good job! I was impressed!"

"I recently represented the buyer in a claim for damages arising from purchase of a home in northern California. There were four other parties to the dispute. Mr. Sher mediated the case to resolution quickly and efficiently. I am certain his command of the legal, standard of care, and insurance issues, plus his ability to work well with all counsel and the parties, explain his success. I highly recommend him as a mediator based on this experience."

"Gary and I want to thank you for doing such an exceptional job. Peter said you were good. We are so glad it is over and we can get on with our lives. We have even stopped yelling at each other, the stress is gone."

"You were truly excellent in your role as mediator: focused, engaged, concerned and attentive to the needs and concerns of all parties. You took the time to understand all of the parties' positions, and you focused on the substantive issues as well as the underlying conflicts that were at issue. You had the ability to stay focused on difficult subjects, and you continued to work with the parties even when settlement seemed impossible. Thanks to your good work, we were able to reach a fair settlement, and I truly appreciate your dedication and skills as a mediator. I would gladly recommend you to anyone looking for a mediator that can handle a complicated case with multiple parties and difficult issues!"

In my opinion, you are the best mediator I have used who is not a sitting judge. I feel that if all mediations were conducted the way you conducted our mediation--with very precise, expert, litigator-focused feedback--and if all parties and their attorneys took mediation seriously, there would be a lot fewer trials.