Mediator Resume

Experienced construction and real property advisor and litigator with roughly 30 years of expertise in representing contractors, developers, subcontractors, suppliers and sureties in a variety of construction and real estate matters, with an emphasis on contractor’s licensing in civil and administrative matters. AAA arbitration panelist for past 15 years, arbitrating matters of varying sizes on construction, commercial and complex panels.

Abdulaziz, Grossbart & Rudman - Partner

Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator

Partner, Abdulaziz Grossbart & Rudman, 1995 - Present.

Construction and real property dispute litigator for past 27 years handling more than 1,000 cases of various complexities, representing prime contractors, subcontractors, developers, sureties, brokers HOA's and owners. Practice emphasizes construction and real estate; 85-90% is litigation, with about 10% of the litigation load being administrative law (licensing disciplinary cases) which are heard by the Office of Administrative Hearings, and at least 20% of the total litigation caseload is litigated through binding contractual arbitration. The non-litigation work includes transactional work (contracts, corporate formation, etc.) and representing trade association clients before the Contractors' State License Board, Law Revision Commission and Legislature in reviewing and commenting on proposed changes in the laws. Construction matters include substantial dealings with Mechanic’s Liens, Stop Payment Notices and Payment and Performance Bonds, as well as Bid Protests, Public Works Bidding Issues, Complex Consolidated Matters and other types of Construction Claims, including Construction Defect, Delay and Extended Overhead; a heavy emphasis on Contractors’ License Law issues, particularly licensing. Cases have ranged from as little as $10,000 to $50 million dollar disputes; representative cases include hundreds of mechanic's lien and stop payment notice cases; a case against developer by neighbors with nuisance claims seeking to demolish multi-million dollar hillside mansion; representing a general contractor in litigation concerning a new school construction project with an engineering bust requiring 800 loads of rock to be exported from the site; representing contractors and owners on construction matters with licensing defenses and disgorgement claims in the millions of dollars; construction defect litigation between owners and contractors; HOA claims against contractors; nuisance claims and hillside construction; and SB800 claims. Real Property cases include failure to disclose, property line, complicated lease disputes, nuisance, easement and subsidence cases. Defended more than 1,000 licensing cases, primarily Contractor’s License disciplinary matters, and have filed Writs of Mandamus concerning such cases. Have been retained by other attorneys and insurance carriers to act as a consultant or expert on licensing law issues, particularly unlicensed and out of classification contractor claims, and workers’ compensation insurance violations, raising defenses to claims under Business and Professions Code § 7031, as well as in acting as co-counsel in defending such cases. In addition to the California Courts and arbitration tribunals has appeared before the Public Utilities Commission, Law Revision Commission, and in more than 20 appeals before the California Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court.

Mediation experience includes a broad range of construction and real estate disputes, including multi-party disputes, and am often available on short-notice or for time-sensitive situations. Retained several times specifically for licensing experience and knowledge. Proponent of project mediator appointments for interim decisions avoiding downtime on complex public works projects.

There is no cookie-cutter approach that fits every situation. I strive to be informed of the claims of the parties and the nuances why the case was brought and has not settled. I want to listen to the parties, and not just their counsel. Few mediations are resolved solely discussing money; there often is an emotional element that the parties or their principals need to air, to gain closure. The disputes that I have handled in my career are very fact oriented, and I prefer to facilitate a free-flow of information sufficient for decision makers to make educated decisions, along with a candid discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of each other’s cases. This can involve pre-mediation exchanges of information which has not yet been provided through discovery. My involvement in the “weeds” on issues in dispute will be at the discretion of the Parties and their counsel, but my style may include homework to counsel and the Parties to self-evaluate their own strengths and likelihood of success on components of the claim, so that they can evaluate how to resolve the entire claim. While I will conduct mediations virtually, I am a proponent of in-person mediation wherever possible.

Proficient in Zoom, Teams and other virtual platforms.

University of La Verne, College of Law (JD-1996); California State University (BS, Business Administration-1985). Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution: STAR: A Systematic Approach to Mediation Strategies (2011).

Admitted to the Bar: California (1996); U.S. District Court: Central, Southern and Northern Districts of California.

Member: Los Angeles County Bar Association 1996-2004; 2011-2025); San Fernando Bar Association (1996-2002; 2011); American Bar Association (1996-1997).

Vascos Excavation Group, LLC. v. Gold (2022) 87 Cal.App.5th 842; Pacifica First Nat'l, Inc. v. Abekasis (2020) 50 Cal. App. 5th 654 (review denied); More than a dozen unpublished appellate decisions; A regular speaker at trade conferences, seminars and trade association conventions.

No travel for Los Angeles Area arbitrations.

Hourly Rate: $600.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $600.00/hr Cancellation: $300.00/hr Cancellation Period: 5 Days Comment: If cancelled with less than five calendar days' notice then will charge only 50% of the time billed.

English

United States of America

Thousand Oaks, California