Donald B. Cripe – Award Winning Mediator

Independent Conflict Resolution Professional Mediator, Arbitrator, Referee, Special Master Retired Civil & Family Law Trial Attorney

AAA/C.A.R./KAISER OIA/AHLA/CALAMP

SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE WITH SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS.

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE INCLUDE

• Business Litigation (i.e., Contracts, Shareholder Litigation, etc.);
• Commercial Litigation
• Unlawful Detainer matters (commercial and residential landlord/tenant)
• Personal Injury
• Professional Negligence and Organizational Disputes
• Civil Rights
• Cannabis Related Issues
• Insurance Law;
• Commercial and Residential Real Estate
• Eminent Domain
• Quiet Title
• Judicial Foreclosure, etc.
• Employment Disputes
  • Wrongful Termination
  • Workplace Harassment
  • Executive Separation through Whistleblower Claims
  • Discrimination
  • Retaliation Claims
  • Wage and Hour
  • Overtime and Expense Re-imbursement claims
• International Contract Disputes
• Domestic Business Disputes
• Construction
• Construction Defects
• Building Contractor Litigation
• Collections
• Medical Malpractice (including Medicine, Surgical, Obstetric, Chiropractic, Dental and Oral Surgery)
• Municipal Law

ADR & JUDICIAL TRAINING

• Pepperdine University
• Straus Institute Mediation Training
• Mediating the Litigated Case
• Dispute Resolution Service Mediation Training
• Inland Valleys Justice Center
• Mediating the Litigated Case by Robert Tessier
• Annual Formal Training for Temporary Judges
• including Judicial Conduct and Ethics
• State and County Bar Training as a Fee Arbitrator
• University of La Verne College of Law: ADR Symposium (and Co-Sponsor)
• March 2011: Inland Valleys Justice Center 40 Hr. General Mediation Training (and Co-Trainer)
• Inland Valleys Justice Center:
• Mediating the Litigated Case Trainers, Bob Tessier Don Cripe
• American Mediation Institute,Lee Jay Berman, The Fallacy of Impasse
• 2011: Inland Valleys Justice Center: Mediation in Litigation Donald B. Cripe;
• 2012: The Center for Understanding in Conflict-32 Hour Intensive Mediation Training;
• 2012: American Arbitration Association University: Core Training;
• 2012—Trainer: 25 hr. course for IVJC, Basic Mediation Training;
• 2012: American Arbitration Association: Advanced Mediation Training;
• 2013: Dispute Resolution Services: The Difficult Party & Overcoming Impasse;
• 2014 24 Hr. CDPIE Intermediate Mediation Training;
• 2015 SBSC Judicial Conduct Training;
• 2015 OCMA Mediation Consortium;
• 2012:Trainer: 25 hr. course for IVJC, Basic Mediation Training;
• 2012: American Arbitration Association Advanced Mediation Training;
• 2015: Dispute Resolution Services—High Conflict Mediation;
• 2016: California Association of Realtors Mediation Training;
• 2018: Strauss Institute Advanced Mediator Training (Through DRS, Riverside);
• 2019: AOC Mediator Ethics Training;
• 2020: Annual AAA Arbitrator and Mediator Training; Sept-Oct 2020: Ethics Standards for Court-Connected Mediators
• 2021: AAA-Advanced Mediation and Impasse Management Strategies in the Digital Age
• 2021: C.A.R.-Mediation and Arbitration of Disputes Arising Under the California RPA
• 2021: AAA- Advanced Mediation Strategies in the Digital Age
• 2021: NCDS / CDSP—Automotive Warranty and Lemon Law Arbitration Training
• 2021: MC3 Recertification Training

Donald also teaches Mediation and Negotiation at the University of LaVerne College of Law for which he trains constantly.

EDUCATION & AWARDS

• UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, West Oahu College – B.A. with distinction Psychology 1985
• SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW – J.D. 1988
  • Southwestern University School of Law: – Wildmon Merit Scholar (Full Scholastic Scholarship)
  • American Jurisprudence Award: Sales 1994-California Bar Association Award for Pro Bono Work
• Recognized by RCBA for Pro Bono Volunteer Work
• 2012 – 2017 Awarded: One of Top Three Mediators for the Riverside Superior Court
• 2012 Jane Addams Award for Family Law Mediation in the Riverside Superior Court
• 2013 – 2017 Solomon Award for Family Law Mediation in the Riverside Superior Court

MEDIATION/ADR PHILOSOPHY

I approach every mediation with patience, empathy and an abiding desire to bring the matter to a satisfactory resolution. Even as a litigator, I consistently tried to move my cases to resolution through Alternative Dispute Resolution, preferably by way of mediation. I am a very active mediator trained and able to employ a variety of approaches from the extremes of Facilitative and Evaluative. My most effective mediation tool is listening. I am able to tailor my approach to mediation to the desires of the parties and counsel. When I conduct mediation, it is for the purpose of resolving the matter and not “pro forma.” I take this process and my conduct, as well as my professional reputation as a conflict resolution professional, very seriously. I want the parties to any mediation I conduct to leave feeling as if they had accomplished something of value and were heard, even if the case does not settle. I am willing to work with the parties as long as it takes to come to a resolution; I will be the last person in the room; I will not give up until the case settles or all parties say they are done.