Case Manager: Chelsea Mangel
“In a legal system designed for win-lose outcomes, I approach every mediation as a profound opportunity to find a win-win resolution.”
Hon. Stephen P. Pfahler (Ret.) brings more than 35 years of civil litigation experience, 20 years on the bench, and a rare combination of trial mastery and settlement expertise to settle even the most challenging cases. Having presided over hundreds of trials and successfully mediated more than 500 civil matters during his tenure on the Los Angeles Superior Court—most recently for 15 years in a Civil Independent Calendar court—Judge Pfahler knows what it takes to settle cases.
Judge Pfahler is widely regarded as one of the court’s most effective and sought-after settlement judges—a reputation grounded in experience. He served for a decade on the Los Angeles Superior Court ADR Committee, including the last two as Vice Chair, where he trained fellow judges in settlement techniques. Fellow judges routinely referred their most difficult and impasse-bound cases to him for resolution. In recognition of his work, he was named Judge of the Year by the San Fernando Valley Bar Association in 2024.
Judge Pfahler is well regarded for his people skills and ability to connect with others. His facilitative approach is characterized by active listening, patience, and pragmatic optimism—genuinely hearing every party before offering a thoughtful, objective evaluation. His keen grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of a case combined with his wealth of experience makes him a remarkably effective neutral.
He is a sought-after speaker and educator, regularly presenting at conferences such as CAALA Vegas, the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Symposium, the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel Annual Conference, the Beverly Hills Bar Association’s CLE programs, among others. He has served as a recurring faculty member for The Rutter Group, delivering programs on multiple aspects of litigation, and has taught for years as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California in Public Policy and Law. These roles reflect not only his expertise but his standing as a respected leader in the legal community.
Judge Pfahler is a dedicated student of behavioral economics, decision theory, and mediation strategy. He also completed advanced training in mediation and negotiation at both Harvard Law School and Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. As a result, he is extremely adept at guiding parties through high-stakes decision-making—particularly under conditions of risk, uncertainty, and conflict.
During his time on the bench, including most recently at the Stanley Mosk courthouse, Judge Pfahler successfully tried and resolved an incredible range of cases, including employment, personal injury, civil rights, business and commercial, insurance coverage, real estate and land use, class actions, mass torts, construction defects, professional liability, public entity litigation, and more.
Judge Pfahler provides parties with a rare, inside view into the court system and how judges and juries evaluate cases. He has served in numerous leadership positions on the court, including being selected by the Civil Supervising judge to serve on the court’s “kitchen cabinet” to advise court leadership on improving the effectiveness of the Civil courts. He also served on the Court’s P.I. Hub best practices working group, the Civil Case Flow management group, the Ethics Committee, and the Automation and Technology Committee, among others.
Prior to joining the bench, he spent 16 years as a civil litigator and partner at several prominent firms, where he handled complex, high stakes matters. He offers a unique combination of experience as both a litigator and as the City Attorney for the Cities of South Pasadena and Rolling Hills Estates, and as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Calabasas. This dual perspective allows him to expertly navigate sophisticated disputes in both the public and private sectors as well as to advise parties objectively as a neutral.
He has pursued an extensive education in human behavior and psychology, earning a certificate in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and becoming a certified life coach. He is the author of two books, The Whole Truth for Lawyers and 10x Happiness — both exploring how problems can be transformed into opportunities.
Judge Pfahler’s expertise as a skilled trial judge, accomplished litigator, and trusted settlement officer uniquely positions him to consistently deliver results-oriented outcomes in even the most contested disputes.
Judge | Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 2006 – 2026
Court Leadership & Committee Service
Partner | Bannan, Green, Frank & Terzian 2000 – 2006
City Attorney for the City of South Pasadena 2003 – 2006
City Attorney for the City of Rolling Hills Estates 2005 – 2006
Assistant City Attorney for the City of Calabasas 2003
Assistant City Attorney for the City of Rolling Hills Estates 1995 – 2005
City Prosecutor for the City of Los Angeles: Prosecuted and tried criminal misdemeanor trials through the Trial Advocacy Project.
General Counsel for the Torrance Unified School District and the Belridge School District.
Workplace Investigator: Conducted numerous investigations into discrimination, harassment, and retaliation complaints on behalf of public and private sector clients (1995–2006).
Associate | LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP 1995 – 2000
Associate | Adams, Duque & Hazeltine 1990 – 1995
Adjunct Professor | USC Price School of Public Policy 2018 – 2022
Selected Speaking Engagements
Juris Doctor | University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
Bachelor of Science, Business Administration | University of Southern California
Fitness, baseball, pickleball, reading, philosophy, writing, gardening, skiing, and hiking.
“Judge Pfahler has got a great judicial demeanor. He’s pleasant and friendly and very calm. I’ve never seen him lose his cool in any situation.”
“Judge Pfahler is relaxed and confident. He demonstrates no false bravado, so he’s not afraid to admit when he’s unfamiliar with a matter and needs to look it up.”
“Judge Pfahler is polite and reasonable, but he’s not a pushover. When he rules, he rules. He’s not afraid to make a decision.”
“I think Judge Pfahler is a really great judge, and I wish more judges had his approach and temperament and outlook on how law should be practiced. He’s one of the better judges I’ve been in front of. His tone, approach, and demeanor are very respectful, very professional.”
“I just think Judge Pfahler is a judge that both sides would agree is a good person to be sitting on the bench, and my opponent felt the same way. Trust me – I’ve seen a lot of judges in action. He’s intelligent and fair to each side. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t want anybody to get an advantage. He wants an even playing field, both in discovery and in trial.”
“Judge Pfahler keeps one of the most efficient calendars I’ve ever seen. It’s intimidating at first, watching how fast he moves through cases and finds solutions to complex issues.”
“Even if Judge Pfahler’s ruling was against me, his statement of decision was always well reasoned and well thought out.”
“Judge Pfahler prepares really thoughtful tentatives. There’s no reason to repeat your arguments. He’s already read everything. He gives people as much time as they need, but he doesn’t want to hear the same thing twice. He’s respectful, and I think he genuinely likes lawyers, which not all judges do. I’ve never seen him lose his cool.”
“Judge Pfahler understands what litigators deal with. His policies are clear, but he allows room for flexibility when needed. He’ll also explain why he expects things to be done a certain way. Showing up unprepared is the worst thing you can do. You need to know your case and be ready for tough questions.”
“Judge Pfahler listens and respects the parties. His tentative rulings show he reads everything and genuinely cares.”
“Judge Pfahler is smart, funny, and gives everyone the chance to be heard. He definitely has diplomacy genes.”
