Mediator Resume

Arbitrator and mediator with in-depth employment law experience; over 20 years of employment law expertise; resolved hundreds of disputes as a neutral, advocate, and client, ranging from informal complaints and administrative charges to complex state and federal litigation in a variety of industries (including retail, grocery, healthcare, fintech, hospitality, and manufacturing), jurisdictions (multi-state experience), and subject matter areas (detailed below; particular expertise in sex harassment, sex assault, accommodations, discrimination, retaliation, and workplace safety). Also serves as a neutral workplace investigator across a wide range of industries and workplace issues.

Law Office of Alexis Pheiffer PLLC - Arbitrator, Mediator, Workplace Investigator

Arbitrator, Attorney, Mediator, Workplace Investigator

Mediator, Arbitrator, Investigator, Managing Partner, Law Office of Alexis Pheiffer, PLLC, 2021 - present; Deputy General Counsel (2020-2021) / Senior Counsel Employment & Litigation (2017- 2020), Sprouts Farmers Market, 2017-2021; Senior Counsel - Labor & Employment, PetSmart, Inc., 2010 - 2017; Labor & Employment Associate, Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Steward, P.C., 2009 - 2010; Labor & Employment Associate, Steptoe & Johnson, LLC, 2007 - 2009; Labor & Employment Associate, (2002-2007) / Summer Associate (2000 & 2001) , Quarles & Brady LLP, 2000 - 2007.

Experienced employment law attorney currently working as a full-time neutral; before founding neutral practice, worked for more than 10 years in fast-paced, retail in-house settings; worked in private practice for first eight years of legal career at law firms in Phoenix, Arizona and Madison, Wisconsin. Experience while working in-house and in private practice included: managing litigation and developing litigation strategy for publicly traded and private equity companies; counseling business partners on labor & employment matters; facilitating business leader discussions to develop proactive and effective responses to complex legal and business issues; training business partners on all areas of labor & employment law; drafting and revising employment-related policies, procedures, arbitration agreements, guidelines, and handbooks; conducting internal and external investigations; assessing labor & employment risk for in-house and external clients. Substantive experience includes, but is not limited to: Title VII (harassment, discrimination, retaliation), Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Pay Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act, Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act & state pregnancy accommodation laws; National Labor Relations Act; sex harassment & sex assault; disability, lactation, pregnancy, & religious accommodations; whistleblower claims, restrictive covenants, workplace health & safety, workplace privacy, workplace violence, social media issues, contract disputes, paid sick leave under various state laws, a wide variety of state and local discrimination, leave (paid and unpaid) and civil rights laws. Representative industries: retail (including specialty retail & grocery); hospitality; restaurant; professional services (including financial and legal services); general corporate; manufacturing; supply chain/logistics; telecommunications; healthcare, including long-term care facilities; non-profit; transportation; technology.

Full-time neutral since April 2021; served as mediator in over 100 cases, primarily involving employment law claims; mediate virtually (using Zoom) as well as in-person.

Representative Issues: Sexual harassment; workplace sexual assault; retaliation; sex discrimination; pregnancy discrimination; age discrimination; disability discrimination; race discrimination; religious discrimination; failure to accommodate (disability, pregnancy, & religion); retaliation; whistleblower claims; paid sick leave under various state laws; Family & Medical Leave Act claims; wage & hour disputes under the Fair Labor Standards Act and various state laws; contract disputes (employment and commercial); Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA); PUMP Act; workers' compensation retaliation; workplace violence; workplace negligence claims (including negligent hiring and negligent supervision); workers' compensation retaliation; general torts; general negligence claims. Representative industry experience: retail, restaurant, professional services (including law firms), general office settings; non-profits, banking/financial services, health care, technology, aerospace, sports and fitness, hospitality, construction, property management, education.

My two favorite features of mediation are client self-determination and the flexibility and customization a good mediation process provides. I approach each mediation with curiosity and compassion and pride myself on providing a safe environment for all parties involved. I generally start with a more facilitative approach to allow for the exchange of information and ensure my own familiarity with key issues. I will evaluate various aspects of the case on request and once I feel I have enough information to do so. I ask for premediation written submission to help me better understand the dispute before mediation days. I am more concerned with the substance of the information than the form. Generally, the following information is helpful: summary of facts giving rise to the dispute; summary of legal arguments; key exhibits; overview of the procedural status of the case; damage analysis; summary of prior settlement discussions; summary of information exchanged with the opposing party; and any other information that may help resolve the matter. I believe exchange of information is key to a successful mediation. Accordingly, I encourage the parties to exchange their written mediation submissions and other relevant information in advance. Pre-mediation information exchange generally helps all parties make realistic, informed decisions on mediation day. The parties may also provide confidential information to me separately. I conduct premediation calls in all of my cases in the week before mediation. These calls pave the way for a productive and efficient mediation and generally cover the following topics: mediation logistics; party understanding of, and comfort with, the mediation process; party/decision-maker attendance; background on relationships between the parties, their expectations, underlying interests, and emotional state; history of settlement discussions and barriers to settlement; information parties may need to be fully prepared to reach resolution during mediation; status of insurance coverage and carrier participation. Party and decision-maker attendance is critical. All decision-makers and interested parties must be present or available to participate in the process. On mediation day, I generally begin in a brief joint introductory session involving all parties and advocates. Parties then proceed to private caucus rooms. I believe each case is unique and adjust each mediation based on what is most effective for that case on that day. I generally spend much of the mediation day working with the parties separately to understand their positions, interests, and goals and facilitate negotiations. Additional joint sessions, attorney-only sessions, and other dialogues between participants may also be encouraged. I use my background and experience to help parties gain insights and information, evaluate the strength and weakness of claims, and craft creative and practical resolutions. When appropriate, I will evaluate the parties' factual and legal positions, emphasizing how a judge, jury, or other factfinder is likely to rule in the matter. I encourage counsel to bring, or provide electronically in advance, a long-form settlement agreement. This practice facilitates finalizing a complete settlement agreement promptly upon resolution. If the dispute does not resolve on mediation day, I follow up with parties as necessary.

Familiar with various online platforms (i.e., Zoom, Teams) and willing to conduct mediations virtually. Preference for receiving pre-mediation submissions electronically via email or Dropbox; hard copies are not encouraged; prefer e-signature for mediation confidentiality documents. AdobeSign used for e-signatures.

University of Minnesota Law School (J.D., magna cum laude - 2002); Georgetown University (A.B., magna cum laude, major in Psychology, minor in Spanish - 1998). Pepperdine University Law School, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution (Certificate, Dispute Resolution - 2019).

Admitted to the Bar: Wisconsin (2002); Minnesota (2003); Arizona (2007).

American Bar Association; State Bar of Arizona (Past Chair of ADR Section); State Bar of Wisconsin; Southern California Mediation Association; Association of Workplace Investigators; Wisconsin Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution.

Panelist, "Case Valuation and Client Expectations" at State Bar of Arizona Bar Convention (Phoenix, Arizona - June 25, 2025) Faculty, "Maximizing Mediation: Practical Tips for Labor & Employment Attorneys," State Bar of Wisconsin Webinar (April 30, 2025) Faculty, State Bar of Arizona Professionalism Course for Newly Admitted Attorneys, State Bar of Arizona Webinar (March 2022 - present) Panelist, Critical Negotiations Skills & Tools for ADR", State Bar of Arizona Webinar (December 4, 2024) Moderator, "The Art & Science of Mediation Advocacy: Mastering Emotions & Skills for Success," State Bar of Arizona Webinar (October 1, 2024) Author, "Approaching Conflict: Plug Your Ears or Pull Up a Chair?", Arizona Attorney Magazine (November 2023) Moderator, "ADR Moves In-House," State Bar of Arizona (Phoenix, Arizona - September 13, 2023) Panelist, "A Survey of Mediation & Arbitration," State Bar of Arizona Webinar (May 9, 2023) Panelist, "Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment - The End of Forced Arbitration," State Bar of Arizona Webinar (May 16, 2022) Moderator, "High Conflict Mediation," State Bar of Arizona Webinar (May 16, 2021) Panelist, "HR Reality Check for 2020," at SHRM of Greater Phoenix (Phoenix, Arizona - January 30, 2020) Panelist, "Balancing Workplace Safety and EEO: Six Tips in 60 Minutes," at EEOC's Phoenix Technical Assistance Seminar (Phoenix, Arizona - June 12, 2019).

Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Hourly Rate: $475.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: Not provided Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: 14 Days Comment: Hourly rate of $475 per hour. Require at least 14 calendar days notice of cancellation. Class/collective actions, multi-day mediations, and complex mediations with multiple parties may be subject to additional per party fees. Please contact office for details.

English

United States of America

Phoenix, Arizona