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.
Bostick, Mark
Occupation: Bankruptcy Attorney
Education: B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1978; J.D., University of San Francisco, 1983
ADR Training: 40 Hours Mediation Training, Steven Rosenberg
ADR Style: Caucus; collaborative; evaluative; facilitative; arbitration
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose
Spoken Languages: Some Hebrew
Califano, Peter
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy, equipment leasing, real estate and personal property foreclosure and UCC transactions
Education: B.A.,State University of New York - Buffalo, 1981; J.D., Santa Clara University - 1987
ADR Training: Court Alternatives Group (formerly ADRA) - 40 hours; John Paul Jones Group - 20 hours; Early Neutral Evaluation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California - 8 hours; Using Mediation Effectively: Avoiding Costly Mistakes - 3 hours; Advanced Mediation - 5 Hours
ADR Style: Classic Mediation (facilitative, collaborative and caucus) and available if necessary, for evaluative approach.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Chism, Guy David
Occupation: Attorney
Education: B.A., Oral Roberts University, 1984; J.D., New College School of Law, 2004
ADR Training: 45 Hours Mediation Training, New College
ADR Style: Understanding-Based approach to conflict
Advocate Location(s): San Jose, Remote Virtual/Video
Christianson, Shawn
Occupation: Shareholder/Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Insolvency; litigation
Education: B.S., Boston College, 1981 (Magna Cum Laude); J.D., Hastings College of Law, 1984
ADR Training: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Yeend) - 6 hours; (Rosenberg) - 18 hours; Have handled many mediations through BDRP since its inception. Have participated in dozens as an advocate for a party at JAMS, BDRP and elsewhere.
ADR Style: Varies - as indicated by the circumstances
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco
Spoken Languages: Some Spanish
Cooper, Michael
Occupation: Mediator, Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy, Commercial Law, Real Estate Law
Education: B.A. San Francisco State University 1965; J.D. University of San Francisco 1968
ADR Training: Steve Rosenberg 40 hours, Ron Kelly 24 hours, various other CLE programs
ADR Style: Multiple approaches including caucus, no caucus, directive, collaborative, evaluative and facilitative
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco
Daunt, Philip
Occupation: Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Representation of small businesses, and real estate
Education: B.A., University of Michigan - 1974; L.S., Universite libre de Bruxelles - 1977; J.D., University of Toledo - 1980
ADR Training: Commercial Mediation Training (ADRA) - 40 hours; Mediation for Lawyers (N. Agliano) 2.5 hours; Conflict Resolution & Mediation Skills (D. Matthews) - 35 hours; BDRP training 8 hours
ADR Style: Caucus when needed, collaborative, facilitative when possible.
Advocate Location(s): San Jose, *(Salinas & Monterey only), Remote Virtual/Video
Spoken Languages: French
Ellahie, Javed
Occupation: Attorney
Education: B.S.E.E., California State University, Fresno, 1970; J.D., University of Santa Clara, 1974; LLM (Taxation), Golden Gate University, 2008
ADR Training: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Training (Rosenberg) - 18 hrs.
ADR Style: "Encourage party communication and provide evaluation of case if requested. My focus is on settling cases and parties who choose BDRP should be able to settle."
Advocate Location(s): San Jose
Spoken Languages: Urdu, Punjabi & Hindi
Green, Tracy
Occupation: Insolvency Attorney
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy, Commercial LItigation, Contract Disputes, and Real Estate Matters
Education: University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A., (1979); University of San Francisco, J.D. (1984)
ADR Training: 40 Hours U.C. Berkeley Extension with Ron Kelly; Steve Rosenberg Advanced Mediation, numerous courses every year to update my skills.
ADR Style: My approach is caucus, facilitation and collaborative. I can also provide evaluative services.
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose
Gross, Jonathan
Occupation: Attorney, Mediator, Mediation Trainer
Education: B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1982; J.D., Hastings College of Law, 1985
ADR Training: Community Boards of San Francisco - 32 hours; Center for Law in Mediation (Friedman) - 34 hours; Various 50+ hours.
ADR Style: "I manage the mediation process based on the personalities involved. For parties that need evaluative issues addressed, I provide a forum where different perspectives can be explored and critiqued. I am also skilled at facilitating communications and dealing with non-evaluative issues. I specialize in complex commercial cases and disputes involving strong emotions."
Advocate Location(s): Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa
Isola, Mark V.
Occupation: Attorney: bankruptcy and civil litigation (state and federal courts)
Areas of Specialization: Bankruptcy, commercial disputes, fraudulent transfers, real estate foreclosures
Education: B.S., Santa Clara University, 1988; J.D., U.C. Davis Law School (King Hall), 1991
ADR Training: Mediate.com University 40 hour Basic Mediation Training. Handled numerous settlement conferences as Judge Pro-Tem and early neutral evaluator for Santa Clara County Superior Court cases since 2001.
ADR Style: Let parties and issues dictate proper approach, but preferred method is facilitative and collaborative with evaluation as necessary to assist in resolution.