Profile

ADR Experience

Ralph Williams has completed almost 5,000 mediations and/or arbitrations. He specializes in disputes involving business litigation, insurance coverage and bad faith, employment, attorney and accountant malpractice and real estate.

Professional Affiliations and ADR Training

Mr. Williams is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the International Academy of Mediators, the Southern California Mediation Association, and the California Dispute Resolution Council. He volunteers his dispute resolution skills to the Los Angeles County Superior Court and the Los Angeles County Bar Attorney’s Fee Dispute Panel.

He has completed the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Services Mediation Training Program and the American Arbitration Association’s Basic and Advanced training for arbitrators and mediators. He conducts alternative dispute resolution MCLE, mentors and guest lectures on ADR at Pepperdine and Loyola and has published an ADR e-newsletter.

Employment and Education

Ralph Williams began his legal career in 1972 at Wyman, Bautzer, Rothman & Kuchel and co-founded King & Williams in 1975. He litigated cases in the above areas for 25 years before becoming a full time neutral in 1998. He received his B.S. (1970) and J.D. (1972) from Glendale University, College of Law.

Recognition

  • Martindale-Hubbell “av” rated
  • Daily Journal’s Top California Neutrals
  • Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators
  • Best Lawyers Southern California
  • Super Lawyer

Representative Cases

Business

  • Mediated a case in which the plaintiffs were principals of a sold engineering firm and closed a defined benefit pension plan. A government audit assessed money due and the plaintiffs sued the plan for mishandling the audit.
  • Mediated a dispute involving a Chinese rare coin collector who sued an auction house for losing 17 rare Chinese coins. Defendant claimed the coins were seized by Chinese Customs as legacy coins. Recovery was limited to insurance.

Insurance

  • Mediated a property insurance case involving water leaking through a garage roof and ground water seeping in, leading to $50,000 in repairs. Defendant claimed that there were surface water and defective construction exclusions.
  • Mediated a property matter regarding water loss on a nine-story office building, from the 8th floor to the basement, with an issue replacing hollow clay blocks used for the walls.
  • Mediated a matter in which a broker was sued by a contractor for failure to purchase completed operation coverage with 2007 retroactive date; a mis-installed toilet supply line failed causing a flood, and remediation contractor overloaded the circuit causing a fire.
  • Mediated a matter involving an E & O insurance agent who reviewed the $2.7 million policy covering an ancient Roman artifact and allegedly did a poor job, failing to schedule floater insurance. A promoter subsequently stole the artifact and claims paid $1.6 million.
  • Mediated a case involving a Cumis counsel who sued insurer and client for fees and bad faith.
  • Mediated a dispute involving bowling alley owners who sued their insurer for failure to pay a partial collapse claim. The insurer defendant claimed that there was no collapse and there was a wear and tear exclusion.
  • Mediated a dispute involving a property insurance burglary and vandalism at a glasses store, in which Plaintiff claimed there was slow payment on the BI claim and Defendant claimed that all benefits were paid.
  • Mediated a case regarding a fire and pipe break involving claims of a homeowner against the carrier regarding slow payment, the scope of the repairs, pricing, and the length of additional living expense issues.
  • Mediated a case regarding a music distributor, who licensed a song from the original artist, then relicensed the song in Europe, and was sued by the original artist for breach of contract and royalties tendered to media E&O.

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Employment

  • Mediated a matter in which a clerk at a logistics company was terminated at the end of disability leave for not returning. Plaintiff claimed his doctor sent notice extending the leave to the disability insurer. Plaintiff asserted interactive process survived termination and reinstatement would be a form of accommodation.
  • Mediated a matter regarding a vice president of sales of a court reporting and records storage company who claimed retaliation for complaining about bonus contra to offer letter.
  • Mediated a sexual harassment claim by an illegal immigrant who worked as a bookkeeper and was allegedly forced to have sex with boss.
  • Mediated a matter regarding a mechanic/equipment operator who sued for disability discrimination, having been fired after returning from leave with continuing restrictions. Defendant claimed that Plaintiff was fired for poor attendance.
  • Mediated a matter in which Plaintiff, a hotel desk clerk, sued for age discrimination and retaliation for wage complaints and being a witness for other plaintiffs. Defendant claimed that there was no notice and no complaints, and that Plaintiff was a poor performer and could not learn the new computer system.

    Legal Malpractice

    • Mediated a breach of fiduciary duty in a family law matter. The husband, a well-known tort lawyer, ordered his trial counsel to try the 15-day trial without continuances. The trial counsel was sick and the case continued. When the trial was to restart, the husband appeared in pro per and appealed an order appointing minor’s counsel vacating his trial date.

    Personal Injury

    • Mediated a case involving a four-car automobile accident. Plaintiff had a history of chronic pain and fibromyalgia, and suffered back, neck, and shoulder injuries, three of which resulted in surgeries.
    • Mediated a wrongful death matter in which the Plaintiff was an undocumented farmhand helping with an unguarded posthole digger. Plaintiff swung on his support arm to force the digger into hard ground, Plaintiff’s hoodie tangled in the drive shaft, and Plaintiff was pulled in and killed.

    Real Estate

    • Handled a case in which a condo owner sued the homeowners’ association and the condo insurer for damages from two water intrusion events.
    • Mediated a dispute involving a buyer who sued a seller for the specific performance of a four-unit property. The broker for the matter was brought into the case by both parties on cross-complaints with a dual agency theory.

    Testimonials

    “Ralph was great. Very difficult case to settle. Still not sure how he did it. Have worked with him in the past and will do so again in the future.”


    “Ralph Williams was excellent and without question got us over the line to a reasonable settlement.”


    “Ralph is the only person who could have resolved this matter. He has all the skills, and works so hard. I can’t say enough good things about him.”


    “Been going to mediators for over 30 years. Ralph Williams was “on fire”. He was AWESOME!”


    “Ralph was excellent. We could not have had a better mediator.”


    “Mr. Williams is outstanding in all elements of the mediation.”


    “Ralph Williams was the cause of this settlement. Ralph did an incredible job.”


    “Ralphs was excellent! He got the job done making all feel good.”


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    “I have experienced William’s coaching from the defense side and witnessed its results on the plantiffs’ side. He sets the mood and gets people where they need to go. He does that without pounding the table or bullying people.”


    “Ralph’s style is more persuasion than confrontation. Coaching is a good phrase because it’s less obvious than ‘persuasion.’ He is singularly successful as a mediator due to his knowledge of psychology and human behavior in addition to his legal knowledge. He wins parties’ trust and confidence, so they agree to settle. Most importantly, he is extraordinarily adept at articulating the financial and liability risks of a particular case to both clients and carrier representatives. He focuses on what may not be obvious, such as the emotional, psychological and institutional drain of litigation.”