Case Manager: Megan Nomura
Keith Parker, Esq., has been a full-time mediator and arbitrator for ADR Services, Inc. since 2010, successfully resolving hundreds of disputes in that time. Mr. Parker’s 40+ years of legal and professional experience representing parties in an unusually wide-range of complex legal matters is one of his greatest assets, allowing Mr. Parker to quickly identify the key issues underlying a dispute and effectively assist the parties to resolve that dispute.
Following graduation from UCLA with a degree in physical chemistry, Mr. Parker worked for an electric utility in Wisconsin as an environmental scientist, dealing with state and federal regulators to ensure the utility’s compliance with the full gamut of environmental regulations. After graduating from Northwestern University School of Law and clerking for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Mr. Parker joined the Orange County office of Latham & Watkins. There, Mr. Parker represented Fortune 500 companies in complex employment, government contract, real estate and securities litigation. In 1994, Mr. Parker and several colleagues formed Smith, Silbar & Parker. Mr. Parker continued to represent clients in employment, government contract and real estate litigation, but also added insurance defense, intellectual property/trade secret, partnership, probate and tax litigation to his portfolio.
Mr. Parker is a strong proponent of mediation as an effective means of reaching a negotiated settlement of disputes. During his career as a litigator Mr. Parker negotiated the settlement of hundreds of cases on behalf of his clients, including the resolution of a “bet the company” criminal False Claims Act action which, at the time, was the largest such settlement in the history of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Mr. Parker believes that assisting a client to reach a carefully crafted, acceptable settlement often is the most effective representation an attorney can provide. See link: Why Mediation?
While the substantial majority of Mr. Parker’s cases are resolved in a single mediation session, some are not. In those instances, Mr. Parker remains engaged with the parties, periodically checking on the status of the case and looking for opportunities to further assist the parties. It is common for Mr. Parker to resolve a case weeks or even months after an unsuccessful initial session.
Disputes and litigation arising from:
Business:
Contract disputes, including landlord tenant, medical provider and real estate contracts; partnership disputes
Employment:
Discrimination (including age, disability, race, sex and sexual preference); retaliation and whistleblower; wrongful termination
Insurance:
ERISA, bad faith, coverage and duty to defend disputes arising from accidental death, disability, health, life and property/casualty insurance; broker liability
IP:
Copyright; trademark and Lanham Act; trade secret; unfair competition
Gov’t Contract:
Defective pricing; False Claims Act; False Statement Act
Probate:
Conservatorships; estates; trusts
Public Entity:
Americans with Disability Act; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; excessive force; negligent actions by public employees
Tax:
Income and property tax disputes arising from valuation issues
“Keith Parker has been a mediator in I believe five of our cases and all five have settled in a single session. What can you say about someone who is batting 1000. I think the best mediator at ADR we have had the good fortune to work with.”