Sponsored by the Beverly Hills Bar Association Family Law Section, VAST – Voluntary Attorney Settlement Team is designed to provide the Court, the Bar and litigants with another Voluntary Settlement Conference resource. The Beverly Hills Bar Family Law Section has assembled a list of senior attorneys who have agreed to serve in two-attorney teams to do VSC’s. The program is of no cost to the litigants and is intended to take place in a single session. The VAST program is designed to deal with cases requiring experienced family law settlement officers. The cases can involve any issues including Child Custody and Visitation.

The service is provided only by referral from the Court or by agreement between the parties and counsel. The program is reserved to litigants who are represented by counsel on both sides.

The Voluntary Attorneys Settlement Team (VAST) program will assign two (2) experienced Family Law Attorneys to your case upon referral. The VAST reference form will include a completion deadline (usually at least 45 days from the date of the referral) and will identify the issues for mediation. The 2 attorneys volunteer a full day for mediation in an effort to preserve court resources. Additional volunteer professionals (such as a forensic accountant or custody evaluator) may be added to the mediating team as may be needed. The judicial referral to VAST is typically before a Mandatory Settlement Conference is scheduled. The parties, their attorneys and expert witnesses will be required to sign a Mediation Confidentiality Agreement, as well as submit to the VAST requirements which ensure parties and counsel are adequately prepared for a meaningful attempt at settlement.

The referral should be sent to the co-chair Persons of the BHBA VAST Program: (1) For Central District, Long Beach, Torrance, Pomona and Whitter to Annie Wishingrad (310) 276-4501 or Tony Storm (310) 435-2000 and (2) Van Nuys, Pasadena, Chatsworth and Santa Clarita to Gary Weyman (818)986-3616 .