In 39 years of law practice representing plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury, employment and construction litigation, there have been very few common threads.  In fact, one thing stands out above the rest.  No matter who I was representing or working for over all these years, my clients always preferred a well negotiated settlement over going to trial.  Although I spent more time than most other litigators in trial over the years, in nearly every case, that was because one or more sides had taken an unsupportable or risky settlement position.  Most of the time, the party forcing the case to trial, ended up on the wrong end of the verdict.

I firmly believe the interests of nearly all parties to civil lawsuits are best served by compromise and elimination of risk. For years, when able, I have volunteered as a pro tem settlement judge in Sacramento County Superior Court and as a mediator in the El Dorado County early dispute resolution program, providing services as a neutral in personal injury and employment related cases.  In fact, many reading this have encountered me in this context.  I have been recognized by peers for my advocacy skills, being rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell for countless years and admitted to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2005.

Since 1998, I have been managing partner of Jacobson Markham LLP.  The firm provided high level advocacy and thrived through economic downturns and even COVID.  We start an exciting new journey in 2024 as Jacobson Urbanic.  As I change my focus from client advocate to experienced neutral, I am committed to ensuring every party to my mediations receives the same commitment to fair and equitable resolution that I applied on behalf of my clients.  I am going to conduct my mediation practice from the office I have called home for 25 years.  Reaching me will be simple and our space accommodates multi-party cases.  This will also allow me to continue a passion -- mentoring young associates to lay a foundation for becoming exceptional trial lawyers.

I hope you will consider my services when selecting a mediator who understands the current litigation climate and will employ nearly forty years of negotiation experience to help you and your clients reach resolution without the risk of trial.  

Now accepting new cases by Zoom or in person.  For mediation inquires please contact me at adr@ju-law.com.