Mediator Resume

Arbitrator, Private Judge, Mediator, Legal Consultant, Professor, Attorney

Adjunct Professor of Law - Employment Disputes, Pepperdine University, Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute, 2025-Present; Adjunct Lecturer in Law - Arbitration in the United States, USC Gould School of Law, 2024-Present; Independent Neutral, 2023-Present; Court Commissioner, Kern County Superior Court, 2021-2022; Firm Principal, Law Office of Anthony S. Khoury, 2011-2021; Associate Attorney/Of Counsel, The Kavinoky Law Firm, 2009-2010; Associate Attorney, Roxborough, Pomerance, Nye & Adreani LLP, 2007-2009; Contract Attorney, Bingham McCutchen LLP, 2007; Associate Attorney, Rose, Klein & Marias LLP, 2007; Deputy District Attorney, Solano County District Attorney’s Office, 2005-2006; Certified Legal Research Assistant, Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, 2004.

During a legal career spanning more than 20 years, has handled a wide variety of complex civil cases, including class actions, in such areas as employment law, real estate, insurance bad faith, contractual disputes, and in general, business litigation. Managed law practice for 11 years, specializing in business, general civil, and employment litigation. Represented both employees and employers in matters involving wrongful termination, retaliation and discrimination under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), wage and hour violations, including under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), and whistleblower retaliation, among other types of claims. Gained a reputation as a very experienced and persistent litigator, but with impeccable ethics and professionalism, leading to appointment in 2021 as an alternate member of the State Bar of California’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC). Appointed to serve as a Court Commissioner by the Kern County Superior Court in 2021, presided over a multi-divisional court, which included the following calendars: preliminary hearings in criminal matters, family law, domestic violence restraining orders, civil harassment restraining orders, small claims, limited civil, unlawful detainer, traffic and juvenile traffic, and child support/AB1058. Regularly presided over bench trials in limited civil, small claims, family law, and traffic matters, as well as jury trials in misdemeanor criminal matters. Currently serving as an independent neutral and legal consultant, specializing in employment law matters.

Completed training for Bench Conduct and Demeanor, and Judicial Ethics for Temporary Judges, in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2020. Completed training for Unlawful Detainer Mandatory Settlement Conferences, and Personal Injury Virtual Mandatory Settlement Conferences, in 2019. Appointed as a Court Commissioner for the Kern County Superior Court in 2021. While serving as a Court Commissioner, created both a civil mediation program, as well as a family law voluntary settlement conference program, and presided over both programs on a weekly basis. Also presided over virtual Mandatory Settlement Conferences in unlimited civil matters, and presided over civil and family law bench trials, as well as criminal jury trials. After leaving the bench in December 2022, became a full-time mediator, arbitrator, and private judge in both civil and family law matters.

Mediation briefs of no more than 10 pages in length (not including any exhibits which the parties may find useful to attach) are required at the very least three days in advance of the mediation. I also find it useful to schedule a brief telephone call with the lead attorney for each party the day prior to the mediation, in order to set basic ground rules and ask any follow-up questions based on the submitted mediation briefs. While I prefer that the mediation briefs be confidential, parties are of course free to share whatever information they would like with each other prior to the mediation. I tend to prefer conducting mediations entirely in caucus, but may occasionally ask the lead attorneys in some cases to consider a joint session if I believe that it may be productive. Mediations will generally be conducted via Zoom unless all parties and their respective counsel are available to attend in a mutually agreed upon location. I also ask that all lead attorneys have a draft settlement agreement ready and available at the start of mediation in case the parties are able to reach an agreement. If the parties are close but ultimately unable to reach an agreement at the end of a scheduled mediation session, I will routinely follow up with the parties at no cost to see if I can help facilitate an agreement without scheduling an additional session.

Very proficient in Zoom and able to conduct arbitrations or mediations virtually.

Pepperdine University, Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute (LL.M. in Dispute Resolution - May 2025); Washington University, School of Law (J.D. - 2004); University of California, Los Angeles (B.A., with college honors - 2001).

Admitted to the Bar: California (2005).

Member, Board of Directors, Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA); Co-Leader, SCMA Professional Development Group for Commercial and Employment Mediation; Member, International Academy of Mediators (IAM) Mentorship Program; Committee Member, San Fernando Valley Bar Association ADR Section; Member (Alternate), Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC) (2021-2024), State Bar of California; Board Member, California Court Commissioners Association (CCCA) (2022); Member, California Judges Association (CJA) (2022); Member, California Asian-Pacific American Judges Association (CAPAJA) (2022).

Parties will not be charged for travel expenses to any location within Los Angeles County, Orange County, Santa Barbara County, or Ventura County, but may be charged for lodging accommodations for any hearing scheduled beyond one day in any location--other than the AAA Regional Office in Los Angeles--that is more than fifty (50) miles away from Westlake Village, CA.

Hourly Rate: Not provided Daily Rate: $8,500.00 Study Rate: $750.00/hr Cancellation: $2,500.00/Day Cancellation Period: 14 Days Comment: Cancellation fee is $2,500 for any mediation cancelled within fourteen (14) days of the scheduled mediation date.

English; French

United States of America

Westlake Village, California