Bay Area Mediation Attorney

Instead of drawn-out litigation, mediation offers parties a means of settling their cases without involving the courts. Here, we will discuss why you should choose Debra Bogaards to mediate your client’s case.

Unparalleled Expertise

Debra Bogaards has the right mix of plaintiff and defense cases in her 37 years as a trial lawyer. As a result of her experience, she can easily understand both sides of each case and has a unique ability to analyze any situation from multiple angles. Both defendants and plaintiffs are often put at ease by her diverse legal knowledge and her respectful, straight-forward approach to mediating their case.

Ms. Bogaards has the ability to talk directly with the claims adjuster on the defense side, having handled tens of thousands of insurance defense cases in her practice. While managing her prior two insurance defense law firms, she met with team managers, claim managers and claims representatives often. She gained their trust and knows what documentation a claim needs to get the highest settlement authority. After 37 jury trials — with only 1 and ½ losses and one bench trial — Ms. Bogaards knows how to calculate the budget for trial expenses and how to evaluate the risks in each case.

As a plaintiff’s lawyer, Ms. Bogaards has handled high-profile media cases and a variety of subject areas. Ms. Bogaards relates well to plaintiffs and understands how their life has been upended by their injuries, wrongful termination, eviction, loss of their parent or business dispute. As a natural storyteller, Ms. Bogaards can communicate well with plaintiffs. Her strength is being down-to-earth, approachable and friendly. Plaintiffs listen when she points to the strengths and weaknesses in their case. Through her directness, honesty and high ethics, she is able to connect with plaintiffs and achieve the highest settlement possible.

Ms. Bogaards has put in three decades of taking depositions and preparing for trials. She knows most of the experts retained by both sides. This subject matter expertise is one reason she is so successful. Read what some of her former clients had to say about her service here.

Tenacious and Persistent

As a mediator, Debra Bogaards works diligently, making pre-mediation phone calls and other preparations for mediation. She will make charts using numbers provided in counsels’ mediation briefs and exhibits. For example, she will have a chart of the plaintiff’s self-employment income by year, before and after the accident. She will draft a medical chronology to assist with discussions in both rooms. She can also understand business evaluations and disputes. She is very good with numbers, having completed an undergraduate degree in accounting. Ms. Bogaards works hard to understand the details of your case and her rigorous preparation pays off.

Ms. Bogaards is also known for her dogged and persistent follow-up. She makes sure the defense counsel sends out the formal Settlement & Release Agreement within a week. She also follows up with the defense counsel as to the ETA of the settlement check.

Best Possible Outcome

Mediation is a process not limited to a half-day or full-day session. However, Ms. Bogaards has settled all of her mediations on the first day, using her mediator’s number in the most difficult of cases. When the parties are polarized on their numbers, Ms. Bogaards will offer — after first getting the consent of all counsel — her mediator’s number. Claims adjusters give Ms. Bogaards a large measure of credibility based on her experience on the defense side (ending in January of 2019) and plaintiff’s counsel and their clients are also happy with her numbers.

Creative and Unique

Ms. Bogaards helps the parties achieve the best possible outcome, sometimes using creativity to fashion a unique settlement.

In one recent case involving a landlord-tenant dispute, the defendant agreed to pay over 6 figures to the plaintiff, as well as small checks for the college fund of three children in the apartment building.

Sometimes, the plaintiff wants and deserves a formal but sincere apology.

It is her ability to be in the moment and sense if there is a creative solution that makes Ms. Bogaards stand out as a mediator.

Training and Experience

For decades, Ms. Bogaards has volunteered in the courts to assist with mandatory settlement conferences before the trial and has mediated numerous cases. She recently was accepted into, and completed, advanced mediation training at the prestigious Harvard Law’s Program on Negotiation in Cambridge, Massachussetts (June 2019).

The Details:

Ms. Bogaards will hold the mediation in her conference room and office, located at 177 Post St., Suite 750 near Union Square in San Francisco. Parking is nearby at the White House garage. The Montgomery Street BART exit is 1½ blocks away. She serves bagels, lox and cream cheese in the morning, and refreshments in the afternoon.

Should you prefer, Ms. Bogaards is also willing to travel to your office.

Her rates are $450.00/hr, $1800 for a half-day and $3400 for a full day, including preparation time.

To read more about her success as a mediator, read some reviews from former clients here.