Mediation After ABA Opinion 518

Jeff Kichaven is one of America’s leading mediators. He is “Ranked in Chambers – Band 1” on the national list of mediators, and “Who’s Who Legal” has honored him as a “Global Elite Thought Leader” in mediation. A full-time professional mediator since 1996, Jeff is a Cum Laude graduate of Harvard Law School (JD 1980) and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (AB Economics, 1977). He specializes in B2B cases, particularly Insurance Coverage, Intellectual Property, and Legal and Accounting Malpractice. He is a Past President of the Southern California Mediation Association and a Past Chair of the ADR Section of the LA County Bar, as well as an Elected Member of the American Law Institute. Jeff has taught mediation for Harvard Law School, Pepperdine University School of Law, the American Bar Association, and many other law schools and bar associations across the country. His views on mediation have been cited in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Joel A. Osman is Partner and General Counsel at Parker Shaffie LLP, focusing his practice on litigation and trials. He joined the firm in 2014 after a distinguished career in both private practice and in-house leadership roles. Prior to joining Parker Shaffie, Joel was principal of Osman & Associates in South Pasadena and previously managed a related entity that served as staff counsel to Travelers Indemnity Company. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of Travelers’ Southern California liability practice, overseeing a multi-million-dollar budget and managing a team of 54 attorneys and staff handling general liability, automobile, fire, and subrogation matters.

Earlier in his career, Joel was a senior partner at Anderson, McPharlin & Conners LLP in Los Angeles. Over the course of his career, he has represented clients in professional liability, general liability, product liability, construction defect, and commercial litigation, and has tried numerous jury trials to verdict. Joel has devoted significant attention to the defense of lawyers and issues of legal ethics. His professional activities include longstanding service with the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee, where he served as chair from 2008 to 2009, as well as service on the State Bar’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct from 2015 through 2018.