EXPERIENCE AND SPECIALTIES
Michael Diliberto has settled over 1000 cases as a full-time Mediator. His skillful resolution of the most complex and emotionally charged matters has made him one of the most sought after mediators in Southern California. Michael draws upon his sixteen years of domestic and international trial experience, to provide a candid and useful assessment of potential outcomes at trial for all counsel. His ability to empathize and connect with both parties, and his tireless effort to keep the parties engaged in the negotiation process, enable him to settle even the most "impossible" cases. Michael also successfully understands and resolves cross-cultural matters. He was appointed as Administrative Law Judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings, where he has served as a part-time Judge since 2007.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Michael mediates a variety of matters, including:
- Employment (discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour class actions)
- Real estate, construction and homeowners associations
- Business contracts, partnership and corporate matters
- Insurance coverage, allocation and bad faith issues
- Copyrights, patents, trademarks and unfair competition
- Entertainment and misappropriation of name and likeness
- Catastrophic personal injury
- Professional malpractice claims
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
- Administrative Law Judge: Office of Administrative Hearings, Los Angeles
- Hearing Examiner: Los Angeles Police Commission
- Hearing Officer: City of Santa Monica
- Hearing Officer: City of Long Beach
- Hearing Officer: Orange County Superior Court
DISPUTE RESOLUTION PANELS
- Settlement Officer: United States District Court, Central District of California
- Mediator: California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District
- Mediator and Arbitrator: Los Angeles Superior Court (Civil and Probate Panels)
- Arbitrator: Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA)
- Mediator: International Trademark Association (INTA)
- Mediator: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Temporary Judge: Los Angeles Superior Court
FEATURED SPEAKER
- Corte Provincial de Justicia, Loja, Ecuador. Taught class on mediation to Ecuadorian judges (in Spanish) [January 2009]
- Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja. Ecuador. Taught classes on mediation to Ecuadorian judges and lawyers (in Spanish) [January 2009]
- ECOTEL Televisión, Loja, Ecuador. Ecuadorian television interview on mediation (in Spanish) [January 2009] Watch interview at this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V00KrRVr4kM
- UV Televisión, Loja, Ecuador. Ecuadorian television interview on mediation (in Spanish) [January 2009] Watch interview at this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-mEM3oXAQw
- Southern California Mediation Association, Annual Interactive Conference, Pepperdine University School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution [2005-2006 and 2008]
- "Insider Exclusive" TV Show, as President of the Italian American Lawyers Association [August 2007] Watch interview at this URL: http://www.insiderexclusive.com/bar_italian.htm
- Ninth Annual Negotiation Conference, California State University, Dominguez Hills [April 2007]
- Orange County Mediation Conference, "Face of the Orange County Mediator" [March 2007]
- SCMA Interactive Workshop, "The Business of Mediation" [2006-2007 and 2009]
- NewsTalk Radio KRLA,870AM, "Effective Use of Arbitration and Mediation" [April 2004]
PUBLICATIONS
- "Five Tips From 'The Business of Mediation' Workshop," Southern California Mediation Association Newsletter [April 2006]
- "The Mediator's Lunch," SCMA Newsletter [April 2006]
- "The Secret of Mediation is in Art," SCMA Newsletter [August 2005]
- "Looking Through the Rear Window: a Review of the United States Supreme Court Decision in Stewart v. Abend," Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 2 [1992] [Cited in "Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window" by John Belton, Cambridge University Press, 2000]
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
- President: Italian American Lawyers Association, 2007
- Director: Dispute Resolution Services, Inc. (Los Angeles County Bar Association), 2006-present
- Director: Southern California Mediation Association, (Co-Chair, Legislation Committee; Co-Chair, Courts Committee (Los Angeles Superior Court ADR Committee), 2005-2007)
- Member: California Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, 2005-present
- Member: Los Angeles Superior Court Bench/Bar Committee, 2005-present
- Member: American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section, 2005-present
- Fulbright Senior Specialist, Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 2006-present
- Member: Los Angeles Copyright Society, 2006-present
- Officer (Treasurer): Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council. Elected Representative of Business Stakeholders in Sherman Oaks District 4. Also, Chair: SONC Finance Committee; Member: SONC Land Use and Planning Committee, 2003-2004
- Admitted: State Bar of California, Florida and District of Columbia; Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Federal Circuit, all California District Courts and USDC Southern District of Florida
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ADR Services, Inc., Mediator and Arbitrator, 2006-present
- Advantage Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc., President, Mediator and Arbitrator, 1993-present
- Kleinberg & Lerner, LLP, Partner, Los Angeles, California, 1993-2003
- Sheldon & Mak, LLP, Associate, Los Angeles, California, 1990-1993
- Allen, Allen & Hemsley - Solicitors, Sydney, Australia, 1989
- Diliberto, Booth, Sibley & Guttieres, Associate, Miami, Florida, 1987-1989
EDUCATION
- Advanced Mediation Certificate, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law, 2004-present
- Advanced Mediation Certificate, United States District Court, California Appellate Courts and other prominent dispute resolution institutions, 2003-present
- J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 1987
- Temple University School of Law, Summer Session, Rome, Italy, 1985
- B.A., University of Miami, 1981
LANGUAGE
- Fluent in Spanish. Working knowledge of Italian.
SPECIAL AWARDS
- Certificate of Recognition for Distinction in the field of Dispute Resolution, awarded by Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley [January 2007]
- Certificate of Appreciation, presented by City of Los Angeles Councilmembers Wendy Greuel and Jack Weiss [June 2004]
FEATURED MEDIATOR
- Mediator Profile: The Los Angeles Daily Journal EXTRA [April 19, 2004]
REPORTED CASES
- Amazon.com, Inc. v. Kalaydjian, 58 USPQ 2d 1247 (DC WWash. 2001)
- Joyce v. Renaissance Design, Inc., 56 USPQ 2d 1541 (CD CCal 2000)