Case Manager: Chelsea Mangel
John K. (“Jake”) Courtney, Esq. is one of the most successful and well-regarded trial lawyers and civil litigators in the country. After an accomplished 32-year career as a prominent trial attorney, during which he tried over 40 jury and bench trials to verdict and handled numerous high-value arbitrations and multi-million dollar settlements, he stepped down from the practice of law in 2020 to serve as a full-time mediator at ADR Services, Inc.
Having resolved countless cases as a litigator, Mr. Courtney brings a broad perspective to his work to help parties approach matters from every angle, assessing realistic options and the full costs and tradeoffs of litigation and trial. His down-to-earth demeanor, legal acumen, and comprehensive understanding of the unique concerns of disputants have earned him national recognition for helping to craft creative, customized solutions to complex disputes.
Among his professional memberships, Mr. Courtney has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2003, where he held numerous leadership roles and served as a Board Member for the Los Angeles Chapter, Cal-ABOTA, and National ABOTA. In addition, he has been accoladed several times as one of the nation’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers and as a Southern California Super Lawyer.
Girardi | Keese, 1988-2020
Mr. Courtney clerked at Girardi, Keese and Crane following his first year of law school and joined the firm as an attorney after passing the bar in 1988. As the firm grew from 6 to 36 lawyers, Mr. Courtney hired and mentored the new lawyers while maintaining a diverse array of cases. In the 1990s, the firm rebranded as Girardi | Keese. In addition to trying both bench and jury trials, Mr. Courtney settled in excess of 1,000 matters through mediations and arbitrations. His practice was known for its diversity, ranging from injury claims stemming from defective products and automobile accidents to complex civil litigation, primarily in the areas of Mass Torts, Class Actions, Insurance Bad Faith, and Aviation.
“Mr. Courtney shows extraordinary skill in mediating cases. He is knowledgeable, approachable, and most importantly, trustworthy. I believe a successful mediation requires trust between the mediator, counsel, and the parties. Mr. Courtney will always have my trust. As a respected member of the community, I believe he has the trust of most attorneys. I look forward to working with him in the future.”
“I had such a great experience with Mr. Courtney who was not only highly experienced but went above and beyond to make this settlement happen. I included his name in my list of proposed mediator to defense counsel recently in another matter. Thank you.”
“Amazing. Great grasp of the facts and the disputed issues. Took on a case where it appeared the parties were so far apart that settlement was not probable. Extremely patient and persistent in eventually getting the parties to agree on a global settlement. Mr. Courtney was very effective with not only the attorneys, but also with the client. We look forward to utilizing his mediation abilities again soon.”
“Jake Courtney was phenomenal. He did a great job. In my 20 years, he’s one of the top 5, I’ve mediated many 7 and 8 figure cases.”
“I have been a member of the Bar for almost 40 years. Without question Mr. Courtney was one of the best mediators I have had the pleasure to work with in my entire career.”
“First time using Jake. He was unbelievable. I really look forward to working with him again.”
“Jake was, by far, the best mediator I’ve ever used. He made himself available to answer AND resolve many questions at a moment’s notice.”