Testimonials
Here’s What People Are Saying About DDR
- FROM COUNSEL IN EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION:
- FROM PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL:
“I recently had the opportunity to mediate a difficult employment case with Philip Diamond. Mr. Diamond worked doggedly for almost 14 hours to successfully resolve the case. Both sides had strong views of the facts and law, yet Mr. Diamond was able to move them towards resolution. He never gave up on the conviction that settlement was possible. Mr. Diamond was knowledgeable about the applicable law and fully familiar with the facts provided by each side. I strongly recommend Mr. Diamond’s services as a mediator.”
Adrienne M. Moran, Esq.
SHAPIRO, GALVIN, SHAPIRO & MORAN
640 Third Street, 2nd Floor
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-5589
(707) 544-5858 - FROM DEFENSE COUNSEL:
“Allow me to concur in [plaintiff counsel’s] sentiments. [My client] and I sincerely appreciated your diligence to move the parties to a hard-fought resolution over a long day. We also appreciated counsel’s willingness and patience to continue talks into the late evening hours.”
Kristin Oliveira, Esq.
CURIALE HIRSCHFELD KRAEMER LLP
727 Sansome Street
San Francisco CA 94111
(415) 835-9000 -
FROM PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL:
“I write with pleasure to give Phil Diamond my utmost recommendation as a mediator. Mr. Diamond has served as mediator in a couple of my employment discrimination cases, both of which were difficult cases that he effectively settled. Mr. Diamond is an excellent listener and facilitator. Whereas many mediators attempt to raise their voice or become progressively aggressive, I appreciate Mr. Diamond’s calm, yet in-control, demeanor. The cases in which he mediated, my clients and opposing counsel were quite different, yet he found a way to effectively communicate with all parties involved. Both situations were also emotionally-charged, but Mr. Diamond patiently listened and helped everyone involved to reach common ground. I have also been impressed with his dedication and tenacity to settle cases. Although one of my cases did not settle at the mediation, Mr. Diamond followed-up numerous times with both counsel until we were able to resolve the matter. I wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Diamond for mediation and look forward to working with him in the future. Please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.”
Enrique Martinez, Esq.
RAMIREZ & MARTINEZ
653 N. San Pedro Street, Suite C
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 947-7244 - FROM DEFENSE COUNSEL:
“I am a litigator with approximately 20 years of experience. I have twice used the services of Philip R. Diamond. On each occasion, I was impressed with Mr. Diamond’s knowledge of the law and mastery of the relevant facts of the case. Mr. Diamond diligently works to develop an intimate understanding of the interests of the parties and presses all concerned to appreciate the costs, time and risks they assume in the course of litigation. As a former litigator himself, he speaks with confidence and experience. Your case receives his personal attention from the first informal inquiry through the final settlement agreement. Having represented both an employer and an employee in mediation before Mr. Diamond, each of my clients and I left believing that Mr. Diamond provided a full, fair and profitable experience. When settlement was reached, Mr. Diamond followed up on the performance of the parties. I highly recommend Mr. Diamond for any mediation need.”
Jon Webster, Attorney at Law
THE LAW OFFICES OF JON WEBSTER
1985 Bonifacio Street, Suite 102
Concord, California 94520-2264
Telephone: (925) 609-7600 Ext. 8797
- FROM COUNSEL IN BUSINESS, CONSTRUCTION, AND REAL ESTATE DISPUTES:
“Phil Diamond has repeatedly shown his skill in navigating the strong personalities and complex legal and factual issues arising in my cases to bring them to resolution. In mediating cases involving partnership, construction, and land-use disputes, Mr. Diamond’s professionalism, thorough preparation, and follow-through have been critical in helping both sides accurately assess their positions and achieve a lasting resolution. It is Mr. Diamond’s unique combination of persistence, patience and understanding of personal dynamics which has provided such positive results.”
Christian F. Kemos, Esq.
FREITAS McCARTHY MacMAHON & KEATING, LLP
1108 Fifth Ave., 3rd Floor
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 456-7500 - FROM DEFENSE COUNSEL IN COMPLEX, MULTI-PARTY SECURITIES FRAUD LITIGATION:
“One of the most effective mediators I’ve had the pleasure to meet, bar none. Phil settled the un-settleable: a piece of litigation involving 24 separate civil actions, 400 individual plaintiffs, nearly 100 defendants, a parallel criminal action, and a host of complex insurance coverage issues. Without Phil’s herculean work ethic, dogged determination, and creativity, we’d have never come close to resolution. I am enormously impressed – and grateful.”
Patrick P. Gunn, Esq.
Partner-in-Charge, San Francisco
COOLEY LLP
101 California Street, 5thFloor
San Francisco, CA 94111-5800
(415) 693-2070 - FROM CORPORATE COUNSEL IN DISPUTE BETWEEN BUSINESS OWNERS
“By all means you may use my name as one who has utilized your mediation skills to achieve resolution of extremely difficult cases. I have mediated many cases over the past 20 years involving between 50-100 different mediators. I applaud your tenacity, ability to quickly grasp complex legal/factual issues and talent for fashioning innovative solutions. All the best to you.”
Daniel A. Gamer, Esq.
Attorney at Law
55 Professional Parkway, Suite H
San Rafael, CA 94903-2729
(415) 472-6655 - FROM COUNSEL IN REAL ESTATE LITIGATION:
“I first met Phil Diamond when he served as a Court appointed mandatory settlement conference panelist on a real estate case in which I was the attorney for one of the parties in 2007. The case was very difficult, and was not settled during the sessions behind the courtroom. What got my attention about Mr. Diamond was that he never stopped his involvement with the matter. Since the MSC was a free service provided by the Court, Mr. Diamond’s efforts after the court settlement sessions ended were purely gratis. He tirelessly kept open a dialogue with counsel in the case, and eventually the case settled before it went to trial.
“After that, I began suggesting him in the private mediations that take place before or during the ADR stages of litigation, and found Mr. Diamond to be willing to develop a complete understanding of all sides of a case, including learning about many of the emotional and personal factors that lay behind or underneath any lawsuit. By adding this depth to his work as a mediator, he has been very effective in gaining the trust of the parties, and in unlocking avenues of resolution of a legal dispute that may never have come out otherwise. Through his understanding of the law and of the personalities in each case, he has been able to find sufficient common ground or interests to allow the parties to reach a permanent resolution of their disputes. For this, I am grateful to him.”
Terry Carlson, Esq.
1703 Fifth Ave.
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 459-1850 - FROM COUNSEL IN TRUST LITIGATION INVOLVING DISPUTE BETWEEN FATHER AND ESTRANGED ADULT DAUGHTERS OVER DISTRIBUTION OF GRANDMOTHER’S ESTATE AND HANDLING OF TRUST ASSETS:
“Learning of your new website triggered the memory of the wonderful job you did in mediating a father-daughters dispute over the administration and distribution of an estate. Given the relationship of the parties, resolving an estate dispute is a major challenge, encumbered by distant memories and pent-up emotions. As the attorney for the father, I was pleased when the attorney for the daughters agreed to your appointment as mediator. We started the mediation session at around 10 AM several years ago. From the outset, I knew it would be difficult task to bring both sides together to settle the case. It was. Notwithstanding the challenges, I was pleased that you would not throw in the towel. Through your careful, thoughtful, courteous, and professional efforts, the parties started to move closer to common ground.
Your persistence in bringing the parties closer was incredible. Forgetting that the sun sets, that it rises, and that even you have bio-rhythms, you managed to convince the parties and their counsel that the effort was so worthwhile, that we all stayed until 6 AM the next morning! Although the case did not settle at that time, we were all so impressed with the progress made, that we came back for another “short” session of a regular business day, and settled the case. Everyone involved was grateful for all your efforts.”
Martin J. Malkin, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF MARTIN J. MALKIN
1000 Fourth St, Suite 875
San Rafael, CA 97901
(415) 459-2000 - FROM COUNSEL FOR ADULT CHILDREN OF DECEDENT IN TRUST LITIGATION AGAINST DECEDENT’S SURVIVING SPOUSE:
“I want to thank you for your excellent service at the [name redacted] settlement conference on February 21. While somewhat disappointed in the monetary result, as a mediator, I thought it would be helpful for me to give you some feedback. You are highly skilled and I felt that your approach to the attorneys and the parties was superb. I am going to borrow some of your style for my own mediation practice.”
Thomas W. Cain, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF THOMAS W. CAIN
1700 Broadway, Suite 440
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 937-4070 - FROM PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL IN BODILY INJURY (PRODUCT AND PREMISES LIABILITY) LITIGATION:
“Our law firm used the services of Mr. Diamond in a multi-party tort case involving our client, a Canadian citizen, sole-income producer, who sustained a serious injury in a product failure case filed in San Francisco. The parties were in disagreement as to the value of the injury since, in part, there was an absence of demonstrable evidence as to the value of the medical treatment rendered to the plaintiff in Canada (multiple surgeries), a national health care country. There were also questions regarding residual injuries and loss of income (inclusive of loss opportunity and bonus income). Mr. Diamond spent valuable time meeting telephonically with the parties in the days prior to the mediation session to gain insight into the case and had a very sound understanding as to the relative positions of the parties before we walked in the door. After a full day of negotiations (going well into the evening) Mr. Diamond successfully guided the parties into finding a common ground upon which to effect a settlement. I highly recommend Mr. Diamond as an effective and hard-working mediator who will spend the time necessary to fully understand not only the facts of the case but remove the stumbling blocks to settlement as well.”
Robert A. Ball, Esq.
ROBERT A. BALL, APC
225 Broadway, Suite 2220
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 234-3913 - FROM PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL IN BODILY INJURY (PREMISES LIABILITY) LITIGATION:
“I had the privilege of utilizing Phil Diamond recently to mediate a premises liability case. It was a fairly complicated matter involving two defendants, with both pre-accident and post-accident injuries having been sustained by the plaintiff. Mr. Diamond was able to grasp the intricacies of the case and help break down the issues. He also has a collegial manner which helped facilitate the discussion between the parties, and the case was resolved. My client and I were very pleased with the results.”
Thomas J. Kaster, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF ARNOLD LAUB
A Professional Corporation
807 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 362-0101 - FROM PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL IN CONSTRUCTION DEFECT LITIGATION:
“Mr. Diamond successfully and efficiently settled a multi-party construction defect case involving a high-end single family home. Settlement discussions were complicated by the insolvency of the developer. Since then, I have referred attorneys to Mr. Diamond for the mediation process as he is economical and persistent. No wonder the Marin County Judges rave about his services.”
Michael J. Betz, Esq.
ALLEN MATKINS LECK GAMBLE MALLORY & NATSIS LLP
Three Embarcadero Center, 12th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 837-1515 - FROM PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL IN DISPUTE BETWEEN BUSINESS OWNERS:
“Phil did a fantastic job as mediator in a case involving the breakup of a partnership and the anticipated sale of the business assets. The case involved complex, fact-intensive corporate issues, which he grasped quickly and evaluated thoroughly. He adeptly handled the challenging interpersonal dynamics that existed between the former business partners and, as a result, the parties were able to focus on the substantive issues at hand. Through Phil’s hard work, tenacity (we had to schedule an extra mediation session) and facilitative approach, we were able to get the matter resolved. I would use Phil again in a heartbeat.”
Benjamin W. White, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF BENJAMIN W. WHITE
1331 N. California Blvd., Suite 200
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 280-0100 - FROM DEFENSE COUNSEL IN FAMILY REAL ESTATE LITIGATION:
“I recently engaged Phil Diamond as mediator for a case involving difficult legal issues in real property, contract and probate law. The case was additionally complicated because of the delicate relationship between the parties and their respective advisors. Mr. Diamond approached his task as mediator with evident fairness, great energy and superior intelligence. He immediately mastered the difficult legal issues. He understood and reacted purposefully to the effects of the relationship and history between the parties. His dogged and amiable persistence brought a result that just would not have been achievable with a less skilled mediator. I did not know Phil Diamond before engaging his services in this case. He was suggested by the adversary attorney. I am very happy that I accepted the suggestion and I look forward to engaging Phil Diamond’s services again.”
Edmond Francis McGill, Esq.
Attorney at Law
700 Larkspur Landing Circle, Suite 199
Larkspur, CA 94939
(415) 508-5323 - FROM DEFENDANT/CROSS-COMPLAINANT’S COUNSEL IN REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTION/CONTRACT LITIGATION:
“I was extremely satisfied with Phil as a mediator and would use him again in a heartbeat. We worked together over a period of months (including two in-person sessions, plus a number of phone calls, emails, etc.) in a somewhat complicated, multi-party, landlord-tenant/real estate/construction/contract law cross-over case, and Phil helped us all cross the finish line in the end. He uses a perfect balance of finesse and compassionate force, listening carefully to the parties and trying to understand their positions and motivations. His diligence, perserverance, and persistence are enormously refreshing in these times when many mediators tend to give up if they cannot get the case settled within a half-day or full-day mediation. Not Phil. He kept pushing us along, never giving up, until we ultimately reached the light at the end of the tunnel. Phil comes highly recommended and is now on my ‘short list’ of mediators to propose in the future.”
Jaime C. Uziel, Esq.
SHEPPARD, UZIEL, SUSSMAN & ROSEN LAW FIRM
100 Montgomery Street, Suite 2100
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 296-0900×38 - FROM DEFENSE COUNSEL IN CONSUMER LITIGATION INVOLVING REPOSSESSED VEHICLE
“I recently used Mr. Diamond to resolve a consumer claim against a financial institution that we defended. He made sure that the mediation was scheduled promptly and was informed of the issues before the mediation started so the time spent at mediation could be as fruitful as possible. During the mediation he worked diligently to resolve the matter. When it did not settle, he did not leave well enough alone but continued to work with the parties to settle. His hard work and dedication ultimately helped settle the case well before trial.”
Darryl J. Horowitt, Esq.
COLEMAN & HOROWITT, LLP
499 W. Shaw Ave., Suite 116
Fresno, CA 93704
(559) 248-4820 - FROM FORMER MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE:
“I was very fortunate as a Marin Superior Court judge to have had Phil Diamond as a settlement conference panelist on a number of cases. In my opinion, he was among the best of the attorneys who volunteered to do this work. Phil was very thorough in his preparation and diligent, creative and tenacious in his handling of these cases. If the case did not settle at the conference, he habitually followed up with the parties between the date of the conference and trial, which often resulted in settlements being reached before trial. It is a pleasure to work with him, and he consistently demonstrated the ability to gain the confidence of the parties and their attorneys and to work effectively with them. In sum, Phil is an excellent choice as a mediator.”
Hon. John A. Sutro, Ret.