Case Manager: Ella Fishman
Hon. David A. Rosen (Ret.) is a highly respected mediator and arbitrator with ADR Services, Inc., bringing more than four decades of litigation, judicial, and neutral experience to his work resolving complex civil disputes. Known for his even temperament, intellectual rigor, and steady, solutions-oriented style, Judge Rosen has cultivated a reputation as a fair and thoughtful neutral who brings both gravitas and grace to the mediation table.
Since joining ADR Services, Inc. in 2023, Judge Rosen has developed a robust practice focused on high-stakes matters involving personal injury, toxic torts, employment, professional liability, and commercial disputes. He is especially adept in emotionally charged or legally complex cases – where the stakes are high, the personalities strong, and the expectations deeply rooted. Attorneys consistently describe him as prepared, persistent, and practical. Clients respond to his calm authority, careful listening, and ability to distill complexity without losing sight of the human dimensions of a dispute.
What sets Judge Rosen apart is the way he blends legal insight with emotional intelligence. Whether resolving a catastrophic injury claim or navigating the interpersonal undercurrents of a contentious business dispute, he works to understand what motivates each party and identifies the pressure points that can unlock resolution. His approach is measured but active – he doesn’t just shuttle offers, but engages meaningfully with the legal arguments, credibility issues, and decision-making frameworks on both sides.
His mediation process is marked by deep preparation, active listening, and strategic flexibility. He conducts thorough pre-mediation calls to understand the case dynamics and personalities involved, reviews briefs meticulously, and enters each session with a tailored plan. He surfaces hidden interests, offers evaluative feedback when appropriate, and isn’t afraid to ask hard questions or challenge entrenched narratives. When resolution isn’t reached on the day of mediation, he remains engaged through thoughtful post-session follow-up, something attorneys say distinguishes him from other neutrals. Across the board, feedback describes a neutral who is “very intelligent,” “thorough and persistent,” “excellent with clients,” and “effective with both sides.”
Judge Rosen also brings considerable value as an arbitrator. In reference and arbitration matters, his judicial experience lends credibility and structure. He conducts proceedings with fairness, clarity, and efficiency, ensuring due process while delivering well-reasoned, timely decisions. Counsel who appear before him appreciate his firm but courteous management style and his ability to resolve even the thorniest evidentiary and procedural issues without unnecessary delay.
Before transitioning to full-time neutral work, Judge Rosen served eight years on the Los Angeles Superior Court. Nearly half of his tenure was spent in Family Law, an assignment he values for its human depth and daily impact. From 2021 to 2023, he presided over a civil independent calendar, handling a broad spectrum of tort, contract, and employment disputes. He also served in criminal assignments earlier in his judicial career, rounding out his broad-based judicial experience.
Prior to his time on the bench, Judge Rosen established a formidable litigation practice that laid the foundation for his current practice as a neutral. For over 35 years, he practiced at Rose, Klein & Marias LLP, where he represented plaintiffs in toxic tort, catastrophic injury, employment, and environmental exposure cases. Rising to Managing Partner, he led the firm through major litigation efforts and served as Liaison Counsel in the Los Angeles County Asbestos Litigation (1986-1996, 2005-2009). He also played key roles in the Latex Glove and San Gabriel Valley Groundwater coordinated cases, and on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the NFL Concussion MDL. His appellate work includes over 20 arguments before the California Courts of Appeal, the Ninth Circuit, and the California Supreme Court.
Throughout his career, Judge Rosen has been recognized for his integrity, credibility, and commitment to fairness. His colleagues and clients alike describe him as someone who “doesn’t get riled up,” yet never stops working a case. He is particularly effective with sophisticated parties, professionals, and executives, and is known for helping litigants reset expectations and move toward resolution, even in cases that initially seem intractable.
Judge Rosen earned his J.D., cum laude, from Loyola Law School in 1981 and his B.A. from UCLA in 1978. He has held leadership roles with the Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, American Association for Justice, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association Litigation Section. Today, he continues to be driven by a core belief in the value of resolution, the power of preparation, and the importance of presence in helping parties move forward.
Personal Injury: Products Liability, Toxic Tort, Defective Machines, Medical Devices, Drugs, Auto Accidents, Premises Liability, Wrongful Death
Workplace Accidents: Construction Accidents, Dangerous Premises, Defective Products, Toxic Exposures
Professional Liability: Medical Malpractice, Legal Malpractice
Employment: Wrongful Termination, Breach of Contract, Discrimination, Harassment, Wage & Hour, Class Action/PAGA Claims
Family Law: Child Custody, Child Support, Spousal Support, Property Characterization, Evaluation and Division, Parentage, Status, Attorney’s Fees
Business/Commercial: Contracts, Debts, Consumer Remedies
Judge of the Superior Court, County of Los Angeles 2016-2023
Rose, Klein & Marias LLP, Los Angeles 1979-2016
Practice focused on civil litigation, handling trial preparation, trials, and appeals, especially in personal injury, toxic exposure, and employment matters.
“Legal Ethics: Client Trust Account Requirements, The new ‘Snitch’ Rule, and Conflicts of Interest,” Advocate, 2024
“Briefing Witnesses for Deposition or Cross-Examination,” Forum, 2015
“Some Common, and Not So Common, Issues of Admissibility at Trial,” Advocate, 2010
“Use and Abuse of the Sophisticated User Defense,” Advocate, 2009
“Toxic Torts,” Forum, 2005
“Third Party Litigation and Workers’ Compensation,” Forum, 2003
“This was my first experience using Judge Rosen as a mediator. He was outstanding, one of the best mediators I can remember working with in my long career.”
“Judge David Rosen was great. Everything was extremely positive. He was patient and professional with the plaintiff who is a very challenging individual and worked tirelessly to achieve a satisfactory resolution. I will definitely use Judge Rosen in the future. ”
“Judge Rosen did a very good job. Thorough and persistent. Followed up timely. Myself and my clients were pleased with the mediation.”
“We had a successful mediation with Honorable Rosen. He was patient, and took the time to understand both parties’ claims. He was also firm when he needed to be. He also followed through after the mediation in helping resolve additional issues. We will definitely mediate with him again.”
“I thought Judge Rosen was excellent. Very well prepared. Developed an in depth understanding of the case quickly and the personalities involved. Our case was a very difficult one to settle but Judge Rosen did his best to reach an agreement.”
“Judge Rosen brings a great deal of intelligence and gravitas to his mediations. He’s very thoughtful, well-prepared, and he doesn’t get riled up. He takes a very legal and practical approach in a very calm and measured way. He can speak very well with business owners and executives. For a more complex legal issue – or something where you’re dealing with professionals or more intellectual folks – I think he comes off very well for both sides.”
“Judge Rosen is not perceived as somebody that’s for one side or the other. He’s perceived as somebody with integrity. And he worked each side the way an effective mediator should by understanding what’s the medicine, what happened in the incident, what are the expectations of the party, what’s at issue and what can I accomplish here. He gave my client a really good understanding about what could be done and what couldn’t be done. That allowed us to kind of reset our expectations, and I think he did the same thing with the other side. Had we just continued with our original expectations, we probably wouldn’t have settled because we would have been seeking way more than they would have paid.”
“I appreciated Judge Rosen’s willingness to thoughtfully discuss the case’s merits. He engaged with me, he engaged with the other side very specifically about various issues of the case and how he would address them. He didn’t just go back and forth, delivering a message of: ‘Their offer is this. What do you want to do?’ He really would engage on a granular basis on the arguments that were being made and how – if he were on the bench – he would probably be likely to look at it. And that was very helpful.”
“I really appreciated working with Judge Rosen. Very intelligent, and he pushed to resolve our case.”
“Judge Rosen was able to get both sides to agree on a number, overall a positive experience. Would definitely use him again.”
“Judge Rosen is great. Very impressed with his preparation and even temperament.”
“Judge Rosen was an excellent choice for mediation. He was fair, and was well-versed on the case. Judge Rosen held a very productive pre-mediation meeting, and was thoughtful finding solutions on this matter. I look forward to working with David Rosen again.”
“Great experience. Judge Rosen’s professionalism and insight on the case were helpful. Judge Rosen was very nice to my client and clear about what mediation is and the his role in the matter as well. I look forward to working with him again in the future.”
“Judge Rosen is outstanding. I have now used him twice, on two very difficult cases (the first was difficult on liability, the second on causation), and he was able to get the cases to resolution in an amount that both the client and I thought was excellent. He has a great style, relates well to clients, and is very effective with both sides. I recommend him highly.”
