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.
Provencher, Douglas
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy
Education: J.D., Empire Law School, 1977
ADR Training: J.A.M.S - 8 hours; U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Yeend) - 6 hours; (Rosenberg) - 18 hours.
ADR Style: "The initial caucus and then separation with directive and collaborative efforts."
Advocate Location(s): San Francisco, Santa Rosa, ***(Santa Rosa & Eureka)
Shechtman, Zev
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy
Education: University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A., History, March 2003; New York University, M.A., Near Eastern Studies, May 2006; University of Southern California Gould School of Law, J.D., May 2009
ADR Training: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution of the Pepperdine University School of Law, Mediating the Litigated Case, Training Program, 40 Hours, March 2022; Member of the Central District of California Bankruptcy Court and District Court Mediation Panels.
Advocate Location(s): Remote Virtual/Video
Siegal, Joel H.
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Serious personal injury; Labor and Civil Rights litigation
Education: B.A. 1977; State University of New York at Albany; Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations; J.D., California Western School of Law, 1982
ADR Training: 40 hours Mediation Training, Steven Rosenberg; Over five hundred hours of class and practical experience.
ADR Style: It depends. I will do what it takes to get the matter settled. I do not give up. Remember, I was a lawyer for Bill Walton.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco
Resume: Joel Siegal Simon, Martha
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy and commercial litigation, debtor and creditor, consumer and business
Education: B.A., American University, School of International Service, 1972; J.D., Golden Gate School of Law, 1981
ADR Training: CLE through Bar Association of San Francisco and State Bar of California and California Community Dispute Services, BDRP, SF Community Dispute Resolution Program.
ADR Style: I utilize a combination of approaches, depending upon the case and the parties involved.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, Remote Virtual/Video
Spoken Languages: Spanish
Spector, Ross
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Commercial, bankruptcy and secured transactions. Trusts and Estates.
Education: B.A. Economics, Tulane University, 1983; M.B.A., Tulane University, 1985; J.D., University of San Francisco, 1988
ADR Training: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law
ADR Style: Caucus, collaborative, and facilitative (Evaluative where appropriate)
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Remote Virtual/Video