The following is a list of biographical information for the Resolution Advocates who have been selected to serve on the BDRP Panel. The background information was submitted by the applicants, and is provided without comment by the Court.
Not all panel members are willing to serve in all divisions. Please check the Resolution Advocates Availability list to select a Resolution Advocate and alternate in your area.
Macdonald, Iain
Macdonald | Fernandez LLP
221 Sansome St
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 362-0449, ext. 203
Fax: (415) 394-5544
Email: iain@macfern.com
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Accounting, bankruptcy, commercial, mediation, real estate & workouts
Education: A.B., University of San Francisco, 1968; J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 1971
ADR Training: Certificate of Study, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University, 2006. 40 hours Mediation and Early Neutral Case Evaluation Training.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Maher, Charles P.
Rincon Law, LLP
268 Bush Street, No. 3335
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 996-8280
Email: cmaher@rinconlawllp.com
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Attorney specializing in representation of bankruptcy trustees
Education: A.B., University of California - Berkeley, 1973; J.D., Hastings College of Law, 1986
ADR Training: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Steven Rosenberg of Steven Rosenberg Mediation) - 18 hours
ADR Style: I have a flexible approach that depends on the nature of the dispute and the personalities of the parties and their attorneys. My primary requirement of parties in a mediation is a real willingness to compromise positions in order to get a compromise accomplished.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Mellinkoff, Debra
Mellinkoff Mediation
1001 Bridgeway, # 203
Sausalito, CA 94965
Phone: (415) 289-0300
Fax: (415) 289-0400
Email: melmediate@aol.com
Occupation: Mediator
Areas of Specialization: Business, Banking and Securities
Education: B.A., University of California - Santa Cruz, 1976; J.D., Hastings College of Law - 1981
ADR Training: 37 Years of experience as professional mediator. Office of Environmental Mediation - 180 hours; Center for Mediation in Law (Friedman) - hours; ADRA (Yeend) - 20 hours.
ADR Style: Although I have experience in all models, most often I use a hybrid model of the evaluative and facilitative processes.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, Remote Virtual/Video
File:
Debra Mellinkoff Resume
Mellinkoff, Debra
Mellinkoff Mediation
1001 Bridgeway, # 203
Sausalito, CA 94965
Phone: (415) 289-0300
Fax: (415) 289-0400
Email: melmediate@aol.com
Occupation: Mediator
Areas of Specialization: Business, Banking and Securities
Education: B.A., University of California - Santa Cruz, 1976; J.D., Hastings College of Law - 1981
ADR Training: 37 Years of experience as professional mediator. Office of Environmental Mediation - 180 hours; Center for Mediation in Law (Friedman) - hours; ADRA (Yeend) - 20 hours.
ADR Style: Although I have experience in all models, most often I use a hybrid model of the evaluative and facilitative processes.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco
File:
Resume: Debra Mellinkoff
Michelson, Randy
220 Montgomery St, Suite 2100
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 512-8600
Fax: (415) 512-8601
Email: randy.michelson@michelsonlawgroup.com
Occupation: Attorney/mediator
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy, commercial litigation, intellectual property
Education: B.A., Cornell University, 1979; J.D., Yale Law School, 1983
ADR Training: Mediation Training (Rosenberg) - 40 hrs.
ADR Style: Caucus, collaborative, facilitative, and if appropriate, evaluative
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, **(San Jose, Salinas & Monterey), Santa Rosa, Remote Virtual/Video
Spoken Languages: Some Spanish
Miller, Dennis
Lubin Olson & Niewiadomski LLP
600 Montgomery, 14th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 981-0550
Fax: (415) 918-4343
Email: dmiller@steinlubin.com
Occupation: Bankruptcy Attorney
Education: B.A., B.S. University of California - Irvine, 1978; Ph.D., Cornell University - 1983; J.D., University of San Francisco - 1988
ADR Training: Commercial Mediation Skills Training - (Ellen Barker & Teresa Carey) - 40 hours
ADR Style: "Generally evaluative with canvassing as appropriate unless needs of parties suggest other styles."
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Nyberg, Eric
Kornfield, Nyberg, Bendes, Kuhner & Little, P.C.
1970 Broadway, Suite 600
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 763-1000
Fax: (510) 273-8669
Email: e.nyberg@kornfieldlaw.com
Occupation: Attorney
Education: J.D., San Francisco Law School, 1987
ADR Training: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Yeend) - 6 hrs., (Rosenberg) - 18 hrs.
ADR Style: "No set approach as it often varies depending upon the parties and type of case
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa
Olson, Steven
Bluestone, Faircloth & Olson, LLP
1825 Fourth Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: 707-526-4250
Fax: 707-526-0347
Email: steve@bfolegal.com
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Emphasis on all aspects of bankruptcy, plus real estate and commercial law.
Education: B.A., Simpson College, IA, 1983; J.D., Berkeley Law, 1986
ADR Training: Steven Rosenberg (18 hours)
ADR Style: Usually shuttle diplomacy.
Advocate Location(s): Santa Rosa
File:
Resume: Steven Olsen
Provencher, Douglas
823 Sonoma Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: (707) 284-2380
Email: dbp@PROVLAW.com
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy
Education: J.D., Empire Law School, 1977
ADR Training: J.A.M.S - 8 hours; U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Yeend) - 6 hours; (Rosenberg) - 18 hours.
ADR Style: "The initial caucus and then separation with directive and collaborative efforts."
Advocate Location(s): San Francisco, Santa Rosa, ***(Santa Rosa & Eureka)
Shechtman, Zev
Danning, Gill, Israel & Krasnoff, LLP
1901 Avenue of the Stars, # 450
Los Angeles, CA 90067-6006
Phone: (310) 277-0077
Fax: (310) 277-5735
Email: zs@DanningGill.com
Website: https://danninggill.com
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy
Education: University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A., History, March 2003; New York University, M.A., Near Eastern Studies, May 2006; University of Southern California Gould School of Law, J.D., May 2009
ADR Training: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution of the Pepperdine University School of Law, Mediating the Litigated Case, Training Program, 40 Hours, March 2022; Member of the Central
District of California Bankruptcy Court and District Court Mediation Panels.
Advocate Location(s): Remote Virtual/Video