Resolution Advocates Biographical Information
The following is a list of biographical information for the Resolution Advocates who have been selected to serve on the BDRP Panel. The background information was submitted by the applicants, and is provided without comment by the Court.
Not all panel members are willing to serve in all divisions. Please check the Resolution Advocates Availability list to select a Resolution Advocate and alternate in your area.
Macdonald, Iain
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Accounting, bankruptcy, commercial, mediation, real estate & workouts
Education: A.B., University of San Francisco, 1968; J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 1971
ADR Training: Certificate of Study, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University, 2006. 40 hours Mediation and Early Neutral Case Evaluation Training.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Maher, Charles P.
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Attorney specializing in representation of bankruptcy trustees
Education: A.B., University of California - Berkeley, 1973; J.D., Hastings College of Law, 1986
ADR Training: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Steven Rosenberg of Steven Rosenberg Mediation) - 18 hours
ADR Style: I have a flexible approach that depends on the nature of the dispute and the personalities of the parties and their attorneys. My primary requirement of parties in a mediation is a real willingness to compromise positions in order to get a compromise accomplished.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Mellinkoff, Debra
Occupation: Mediator
Areas of Specialization: Business, Banking and Securities
Education: B.A., University of California - Santa Cruz, 1976; J.D., Hastings College of Law - 1981
ADR Training: 37 Years of experience as professional mediator. Office of Environmental Mediation - 180 hours; Center for Mediation in Law (Friedman) - hours; ADRA (Yeend) - 20 hours.
ADR Style: Although I have experience in all models, most often I use a hybrid model of the evaluative and facilitative processes.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, Remote Virtual/Video
Resume: Debra Mellinkoff Nyberg, Eric
Occupation: Attorney
Education: J.D., San Francisco Law School, 1987
ADR Training: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Yeend) - 6 hrs., (Rosenberg) - 18 hrs.
ADR Style: "No set approach as it often varies depending upon the parties and type of case
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa
Olson, Steven
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Emphasis on all aspects of bankruptcy, plus real estate and commercial law.
Education: B.A., Simpson College, IA, 1983; J.D., Berkeley Law, 1986
ADR Training: Steven Rosenberg (18 hours)
ADR Style: Usually shuttle diplomacy.
Advocate Location(s): Santa Rosa
Resume: Steven Olsen