Robert “Bob” Sheppard, Professional Mediator
Bob Sheppard’s Distinguished 30 Year Mediator Record
Bob Sheppard is acknowledged throughout Northern California as an accomplished Mediator who settles the seemingly unsettle-able case or dispute.
Since the early 1980′s, Bob Sheppard served as a Settlement Conference Judge, resolving over 500 lawsuits in the San Francisco Superior Court between litigants (achieving a record of 95%+ successful settlements).
Since the early 1990′s, Bob Sheppard has served as a Private Mediator settling over 700 disputes/conflicts/lawsuits (achieving a 98%+ successful settlement record).
For the last four years, Bob Sheppard has served on the Board of Directors of “The Mediation Society” – a professional association of experienced mediators in Northern California, and in 2011 he was elected as that organization’s Vice President.
He is a member of “The Real Estate Neutrals” – a select group of experienced Real Estate Mediators in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Robert Sheppard also serves as a Private Arbitrator on binding arbitration cases, and has been specially appointed Discovery Magistrate and Referee to resolve discovery disputes between litigants and their respective attorneys.
Robert Sheppard serves as a Neutral Arbitrator in cases involving medical malpractice claims against Kaiser Permanente Hospital.
Bob Sheppard’s Mission Statement as a Mediator:
“There are problem makers and problem solvers. My commitment is to make all disputants and their lawyers problem solvers, and collectively create an end-game plan to resolve the burning core issues of a dispute. My goal is to close the deal, utilizing some proven strategies to break the impasse. And, I’m not afraid to try new ideas or outside-the-box techniques to get past impediments to settle”
-Stephen Goldstein, Senior Partner
San Francisco Law Firm G3MH,
Former President of The Mediation Society
-Walter Schneider, Partner
Hanson Bridgett Law Firm, San Francisco
What is Unique about Bob Sheppard’s Approach to Mediation?
Bob Sheppard is tenacious and creative in getting a case to settle. He has settled several thousand cases for over 30 years, both as a litigator, lawyer-advocate, Settlement Conference Judge in court, and as a neutral Professional Mediator.
Bob Sheppard learned the art to settle cases as an attorney/litigator over more than three decades, serving as both a litigator, settling of thousands of cases out of court, and as a trial attorney fightingthousands of contested court cases over 30 years.
Bob Sheppard has a distinguished settlement record, both as a respected Temporary Judge/Settlement Judge in the San Francisco Superior Court since 1982 and as a Private Professional Mediator settling over 1,000 lawsuits, disputes and cases.
With three decades of experience, Bob Sheppard has come to understand the personal and emotional needs of parties in conflict. He is keenly aware of the practical side of disputes, including the burdens, costs and risks of litigation, and is not afraid to share these crucial factors with the litigants/disputants, and their lawyers, at the appropriate time in a mediation.
Bob Sheppard has a broad and distinguished background in real estate and asset management, landlord-tenant relations, bank and lender issues, appraisal issues, holding of title, deeds, contracts, governmental regulations and approvals for development/improvements and the permit issuance process. He also has an extensive background in real estate development and Planning Department approvals, as well as a working knowledge of the construction and real estate brokerage industries. This enables him to focus on the practical issues of a real estate, construction, financial or business dispute.
Bob Sheppard handles all kinds of mediation cases: real estate, landlord tenant, contract disputes, insurance disputes, personal injury claims, employment disputes, investment disputes, inter and intra-family disputes, attorney client disputes, will/trust contests, estate/probate disputes, disputes between neighbors, HOA disputes, disputes between sellers and buyers of real estate, disputes with real estate agents, disputes between parties claiming conflicting interests in real estate, professional liability claims, medical/dental malpractice claims, and general business disputes.
Bob Sheppard’s reasonable rates for mediation services have saved litigants thousands of dollars as opposed to more costly and less efficient AAA or JAMS (Judicial and Arbitration Mediation Services).
-B. Scott Levine, Attorney/Named Partner
GOODMAN & LEVINE LLP – Oakland
- Matthew Wertheim, Attorney
Mediating for Parties without Lawyers (& with Lawyers):
Bob Sheppard proudly works on mediations for parties who don’t have lawyers. He is sensitive to such individuals’ needs for guidance from a professional, neutral Mediator, and to prevent such a party from being taken advantage of by a lawyer representing the other party.
Where both parties have lawyers, Bob Sheppard’s approach is to “let the lawyers be the advocates” and let the attorneys manage the mediation process, reserving the right to intervene to move the process along to resolution.
Location/Rates/Charges:
Bob Sheppard conducts mediations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. His offices are in a downtown San Francisco highrise office suite with a private conference room, and separate private caucus rooms. Bob Sheppard also offers evening and weekend sessions (on a limited basis).
His current hourly rate is $395. Payment for the mediation services is required in advance of each session. The parties are free to allocate the fee obligation between themselves as they deem appropriate, but normally charges are borne equally by each side.
There are no administrative fees, set up fees or cancellation fees. Counsel and/or the parties are only charged for the actual time devoted to the matter.
How do I Set Up a Mediation with Bob Sheppard?
To schedule a mediation session with Bob Sheppard, please contact our office staff at (415) 296 0900, or send an email with a copy to the Mediation Scheduling Coordinator, Tiffany Crawford.
We will need to know the names of all the parties, their contact information, and a brief description of the type of dispute, and the names and contact information of the attorneys, if any.
If the parties are represented by counsel, either attorney may contact our staff to schedule the mediation.
Links
Bob Sheppard’s Resume/CV as a Mediator
Letters of Recommendation from Lawyers who utilized Bob Sheppard’s mediation services
Bob Sheppard’s Matrix Chart on Mediating Real Estate and Landlord/Tenant Disputes
The Mediation Society, Bay Area Professional Mediators’ Website
Guide to Mediation (What you should know about the mediation process.)
Bob Sheppard’s article on “Mediating at Burning Man, 2010″
In 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, seven consecutive years of winning this award, our firm's senior partner, Robert Sheppard, was voted a "Super Lawyer of Northern California" a distinction reserved for a select few attorneys out of over 50,000 lawyers. He was selected a "Super Lawyer" in the field in Real Estate Law and in conducting Mediations and Alternative Dispute Resolution. He also serves as a widely respected Private Mediator, Arbitrator and Discovery Referee. In 2007, Robert Sheppard was selected to serve on the Board of Directors of The Mediation Society, a group of distinguished mediators in Northern California.