Stephen J. Meyer

Stephen J. Meyer — Mediator

Litigation Attorney for over 30 Years

Contact Info:
Email: Send an email
Phone: (916) 520-5437
Fax: (916) 520-5837

Background and Experience

I am a Senior Partner, and the former Managing Partner and Litigation Practice Chair at Downey Brand LLP. My focus for more than 30 years has been on complex business and commercial litigation, environmental law, and alternative dispute resolution. I have represented clients in a wide variety of industries, including banking, agriculture, timber products, oil and gas, pipeline distribution, real estate development, and shopping centers, as well as public entities and the State of California. I have represented both sides in these areas—banks and borrowers, landowners and tenants, large and small companies, parties potentially responsible for contamination and landowners seeking damages for contamination and clean up costs.

Since 2003, I have expanded my practice into alternative dispute resolution, bringing my experience as litigator and mediator, to help parties resolve business, commercial and environmental disputes. I am currently a mediator for Sacramento County Superior Court, the Third District Court of Appeal, and the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of California.

I have successfully mediated a wide range of cases including business dissolutions, financial/banking disputes, employment discharge disputes, real property claims, business/commercial contracts disputes, adverse possession/prescriptive easement claims, commercial landlord tenant claims, and commercial real estate buy/sell disputes. As a litigator, I have represented parties in a wide variety of disputes where I believe my skills as a mediator were instrumental in achieving favorable resolutions, and that experience is set forth in detail in my General Resume.

I have developed my skills as a mediator with extensive course work and through practical experience in many mediations as either the mediator or representing parties at the mediation. I have participated in more than 100 hours of mediation training, including programs with the Stauss Institute at Pepperdine University, the Third District Court of Appeals training program with Dana Curtis, and Steven Rosenberg's Advanced Mediation program. I am a member of the Sacramento County Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and the American Bar Association Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Generally, I see my role more broadly than simply shuttling offers between conference rooms. In my experience, if all that was required was a vehicle to trade offers, the cases would have resolved without the need for a mediator. I take the time to understand the case, the parties, the law, and the relational dynamics of all those involved in the case. In doing so, I try to bring the parties and their counsel to focus on the critical pivot points to resolution. And I come to every mediation with the belief that the case can be settled, and bring the commitment, focus, and persistence to achieve that outcome.

Mediation Training:
Strauss Institute for dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law, 2006 Certificate of Completion in Mediating the Litigated Case

Dana Curtis Mediation, 2007 Certificate of Completion in Mediating Appeals

Steven Rosenberg, 2010 Certification of Completion in Advanced Mediation

Judge Pro Tem, Sacramento Superior Court

Mediator, Third District Court of Appeals for California

Voluntary Dispute Resolution Program Panel United States District Court, Eastern District of California -- mediate cases as part of Early Neutral Evaluation Program.

Education:

University of Michigan (J.D., 1975)

University of Michigan (M.U.P., 1975)

University of California, Davis (B.S., Agricultural Economics, 1971)

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