Profile

Over the course of his mediation career, Harris Weinberg has assisted in resolving over 6,000 disputes and has presided over cases of every type, from international, environmental and public policy disputes, to corporate, insurance, construction, employment, real estate, contract, maritime and negligence actions.

Mr. Weinberg is a full-time commercial mediator, who has been engaged in mediation since 1972 when he established a mediation program for troubled juveniles as part of the Vermont Juvenile Justice System. He later commenced his commercial mediation practice in 1989. He has served as Mediator and Special Master to the United States District Court, Northern District of California, and as Mediator and Judge Pro Tem to the San Francisco Trial Courts.

Mr. Weinberg began practicing law in Burlington, Vermont in 1972. He moved to San Francisco in 1978, where he continued the practice of both law and mediation until 1993, when mediation became his exclusive field of practice. His legal career involved extensive representation of a broad spectrum of commercial and litigation matters, including contract, corporate, real estate, employment, insurance coverage, business torts, personal injury, medical jurisprudence and banking, including case management and adjudication.

Mr. Weinberg has both national and international experience as a mediator and speaker. He has traveled frequently to Italy at the request of the U.S. State Department and at the invitation of the Italian government, where he has addressed conferences on mediation in Florence and Perugia, as well as the Italian Justice Ministry and leaders of Italy’s legal and judicial communities at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. He continues to serve as a consultant to Italy’s implementation of ADR into its judicial system. He has traveled to Jerusalem to work with Israeli, Arab and Palestinian government leaders, diplomats, industrialists and academicians to examine the uses of mediation in resolution of their conflicts. Additionally, Mr. Weinberg has spoken at conferences of corporate general counsel, bar associations, risk managers, insurance companies and trade and professional groups engaged in the negotiation and representation of legal disputes throughout the United States.

As a teacher and trainer, Mr. Weinberg has served on the faculty of the Harvard University Law School’s Mediation Workshop. He has trained panelists for the American Arbitration Association, participated in the University of San Francisco Law School’s training of mediators for the Argentinean judiciary, lectured at University of California School of Law at Boalt Hall and Golden Gate University, served as trainer to the San Francisco Community Boards, served as Professor of Business Law at the University of Vermont, and held the position of Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at the California College of Podiatric Medicine. Mr. Weinberg previously served on the Dean’s Advisory Committee of the American University Washington College of Law in Washington D.C.

Mr. Weinberg is the father of three and grandfather of six. He lives in Piedmont, California, and is married to Dana Corvin. He and his wife are involved in numerous civic, religious and charitable organizations.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • Business/Contracts
  • Construction
  • Corporate & Partnership
  • Employment
  • Insurance
  • Professional Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Maritime
  • Personal Injury
  • Negligence
  • Public Policy
  • Real Estate

EDUCATION

  • American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 1972
  • University of Louisville, B.A., 1969

HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS

  • Distinguished Mediator of the Year, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2005
  • Northern California Mediator of the Year, American Arbitration Association, 1996
  • California College of Podiatric Medicine, Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa, 1991
  • Northern California Super Lawyer, San Francisco Magazine
  • AV-rated attorney and mediator, Martindale-Hubbell

ASSOCIATIONS

  • California and Vermont State Bar Associations
  • Bar Association of San Francisco
  • California Dispute Resolution Council
  • Association for Dispute Resolution of Northern California
  • The Mediation Society
  • International Diplomacy Council

Representative Cases

Representative Matters

  • I have been honored to preside over 5,000 mediations. Those subject matters have encompassed virtually every type of dispute. I have declined to attempt to compile a list of representative matters in the belief that, by virtue of what is omitted, any such listing is less than truly representative. I would much rather respond to your interest by speaking with you and discussing your subject matter and my experience. So I invite your call, and appreciate your interest. I can be contacted directly at 415.602.8884, or by email at harris@harrisweinberg.com.
  • Computer hardware destroyed by truck fire during international shipment. Action is both 3rd party loss recovery claim and insurance subrogation claim. Ruling law is essentially dictated by application of Carmack Amendment and provisions of Logistics and Service Agreement.
  • Bosun attacked in stateroom after at sea BBQ at which alcohol was allegedly consumed in large quantities by the crew without supervision and in violation of both shipping company and USCG regulations. Theories were both Jones Act negligence and unseaworthiness.

Testimonials

“Harris Weinberg gets to the point and doesn’t waste anyone’s time. The best.”


“I can’t say enough about Harris Weinberg’s mediation skills and ability. He’s simply the best.”


“Mr. Weinberg is the best mediator I have ever worked with in my 39 years of practice.”


“We didn’t settle but Harris worked very hard and hit all the right buttons I think on both sides. He is very dogged and determined which I like and does a very good job spotting issues.”