Case Manager: Eve Thorstens
Robert S. Mann, Esq. is widely respected as one of California’s pre-eminent dispute resolution professionals. Selected for five consecutive years as one of the Top 50 Neutrals in California by the Daily Journal, and a multi-year Super Lawyer in Dispute Resolution, he has successfully mediated thousands of complex real estate, business and construction disputes and issued thoughtful, fair and impartial arbitration awards in a variety of challenging disputes.
Mr. Mann’s technical expertise in real estate and construction is unmatched. This experience allows him to help parties and their counsel understand and manage the risk in these expert-driven and factually complex matters. His experience as a trial lawyer (he has tried over 70 cases to verdict and was lead counsel in the longest construction arbitration in the history of the California operations of the AAA—261 hearing days) and his experience in managing construction projects as an owner’s representative, gives him a unique perspective and ability to settle even the most difficult and hotly contested matters. He is the author of more than 50 published articles on mediation and arbitration and he is the published author of a major technical book on construction, Defect-Free Buildings, published in 2007 by McGraw-Hill.
Mr. Mann is known for his calm yet extraordinarily persuasive demeanor, his ability to rapidly assimilate the most complex facts and legal issues, and an uncanny sense of the critical issues that will guide the outcome of trials and arbitrations. He is sought after for his ability to resolve even the most difficult of cases, especially those involving strong emotions and strong personalities.
Mr. Mann has special expertise in real estate matters involving non-disclosure, broker malfeasance, escrow issue, title company issues, and commercial and residential lease disputes. He has likely resolved more real estate non-disclosure disputes than any other mediator in California. He also has substantial expertise in business disputes of all kinds including partnership disputes.
1998-2021 President, The Mann Law Firm
1993-1998 Partner, Colton Mann Partnership
1979-1998 Partner, Fierstein & Sturman Law Corp.
1977-1979 Deputy Los Angeles City Attorney
Mr. Mann has more than forty years of experience in construction, real estate and business litigation. Nearly 100% of his practice was devoted to construction law matters, including representation of owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, specialty contractors, architects, and engineers. He is a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA), an invitation-only, selective and limited membership international association of the world’s best construction lawyers.
Among his accomplishments, Mr. Mann obtained an award in excess of $90 million (the largest construction defect arbitration award in California history); obtained other multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in various business, construction and real estate matters; defended major institutional clients in complex construction cases having over $35 million in exposure; has two published appellate decisions; and served as expert witness in construction disputes.
His experience includes all aspects of construction disputes, including construction defect, delay, disruption, mechanic’s liens, change orders, private and public works, multi-family, multi-party, residential and commercial. He has substantial technical expertise in building, including a thorough understanding of infrastructure (including dry and wet underground utilities), sewer systems, septic systems, soils and geotechnical issues, foundations, framing, fenestration, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, exterior plaster systems, roofing, waterproofing, civil engineering and mold. He also served as an expert witness regarding the reasonableness of attorney’s fees and standard of care in construction defect disputes.
“Mr. Mann impressed my clients with his demonstrated willingness to work on settling the case. Mr. Mann was deeply invested in working hard to settle our case.”
“The client was very impressed by the mediator and he was a pleasure to work with.”
“I believe that Bob Mann is the best mediator in LA. Everyone that I have spoken to about him thinks so too. Eve Thorstens is great.”
“Bob Mann impressed my clients with his demonstrated willingness to work on settling the case. We had previously mediated this dispute, and Mr. Mann was qualitatively more invested in working hard to settle our case.”
“Mr. Mann did an excellent job of bringing the parties together and resolving a very difficult case where the parties were far apart.”
“Robert Mann is one of the best. He was effective and got the case settled. I highly recommend him.”
“Robert Mann is terrific. Knowledgeable, realistic, and doesn’t give up.”