Mediator Resume

California family law attorney, mediator, and dispute resolution professional with more than ten years of experience guiding families through complex legal and interpersonal conflicts. Partner and co-founder of Hepner & Pagan, LLP, with a practice emphasizing mediation, negotiated settlements, premarital planning, and other non-adversarial resolution processes. Extensive training in mediation and co-parenting dispute resolution through Mosten Guthrie Academy, including advanced mediation coursework. Successfully passed the California Certified Family Law Specialist examination. Recognized for facilitating productive dialogue, managing high-conflict matters, and helping parties reach practical, durable agreements.

Hepner & Pagan, LLP - Partner

Attorney, Mediator

Partner, Hepner & Pagan, LLP, 2018-Present; Senior Associate Attorney, Magdalena Law Group, 2017-2018; Associate Attorney, Allan & Martelle, LLP, 2014-2017.

Exclusive family law practitioner with experience in approximately 1,000 family law matters involving dissolution of marriage, parentage, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, property division, reimbursement claims, and complex financial disputes. Represents clients throughout all stages of litigation, negotiation, and settlement, from initial case assessment through judgment. Practice includes matters involving high-conflict custody disputes, domestic violence allegations, interstate and international parenting issues, business and professional practice interests, real property division, retirement assets, stock compensation, separate and community property characterization, and marital settlement agreements. Regularly advises clients regarding strategic resolution options, risk assessment, and settlement planning. Recognized for substantial experience in premarital and postnuptial agreements, drafting and negotiating approximately 15 such agreements annually. Advises individuals, professionals, business owners, and high-net-worth clients regarding asset protection, financial planning, and dispute prevention strategies designed to reduce future litigation. Serves as court-appointed Minor’s Counsel in custody matters requiring independent representation of children’s interests. Also serves as a volunteer settlement officer, assisting litigants and counsel in evaluating disputes and exploring settlement opportunities. Co-founded and helped grow Hepner & Pagan, LLP into a leading Northern California family law practice focused on efficient dispute resolution and client-centered advocacy. Developed educational programming and regularly speaks and writes on family law topics, including premarital planning, conflict reduction, and strategies for resolving family disputes outside of court.

Family law mediator with a practice focused on helping parties resolve disputes outside of court through informed negotiation, interest-based problem solving, and durable settlement agreements. Mediation experience includes divorce, parentage, custody and parenting plans, child support, spousal support, property division, reimbursement claims, premarital and postnuptial agreement disputes, and post-judgment modification matters. Approximately 30% of professional practice is devoted to mediation, including serving as a neutral mediator, consulting attorney in mediation, and settlement-focused counsel in cases utilizing private and court-connected mediation processes. Has participated in and facilitated hundreds of mediation sessions involving parties from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and professional backgrounds. Mediated matters have involved marital estates ranging from modest assets to high-net-worth estates, including business interests, professional practices, real property portfolios, retirement assets, stock compensation, and separate property characterization disputes. Regularly assists parties in resolving complex parenting disputes, including high-conflict custody matters, relocation issues, co-parenting challenges, and disputes involving allegations of domestic violence. Completed 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training, Advanced Mediation Training, and Co-Parenting Specialist Training through Mosten Guthrie Academy. Mediation approach emphasizes self-determination, informed decision-making, creative problem solving, and practical solutions designed to preserve family relationships and minimize future conflict. Extensive experience participating in mediation as an advocate on behalf of clients in family law matters. Since 2015, has represented parties in hundreds of mediations involving financial, custody, and support disputes, providing substantial familiarity with the mediation process from both the neutral and advocate perspectives. Serves as a Volunteer Settlement Officer, assisting parties and counsel in evaluating disputes, identifying settlement opportunities, and facilitating negotiated resolutions. Experience includes multi-party matters involving extended family members, business entities, fiduciaries, and other interested participants whose involvement was necessary to achieve comprehensive settlement.

Dissolution of marriage matters involving characterization and division of community and separate property, including real property, retirement accounts, investment portfolios, business interests, professional practices, stock compensation, and reimbursement claims. Development of comprehensive parenting plans addressing legal and physical custody, parenting schedules, holiday and vacation schedules, transportation logistics, decision-making authority, communication protocols, and dispute-resolution mechanisms. High-conflict co-parenting disputes involving allegations of parental gatekeeping, communication breakdowns, parenting style differences, and implementation of prior custody orders. Child support disputes involving self-employed parents, fluctuating income, bonus compensation, business ownership interests, and requests for deviation from guideline support. Spousal support disputes involving long-term and short-term marriages, earning capacity issues, vocational evaluations, lifestyle analyses, and step-down support structures. Relocation and move-away disputes involving proposed interstate and international relocation of children, parenting plan modifications, and preservation of parent-child relationships. Resolution of disputes involving family-owned businesses, professional practices, and valuation-related issues affecting property division and support obligations. Premarital and postnuptial agreement negotiations addressing separate property rights, business interests, inheritance expectations, spousal support waivers, and financial disclosure obligations. Post-judgment disputes involving modification of custody, parenting plans, child support, spousal support, and enforcement of prior court orders or settlement agreements. Matters involving allegations of domestic violence and coercive control, including development of parenting arrangements, communication protocols, and settlement structures designed to address safety concerns. Multi-party family disputes involving participation by extended family members, business partners, fiduciaries, trustees, and other stakeholders necessary to achieve global resolution. Disputes involving international families, cross-cultural considerations, foreign assets, international travel restrictions, and jurisdictional issues affecting custody and financial matters. Settlement of complex family law disputes involving intertwined financial and parenting issues requiring coordinated resolution of custody, support, and property matters within a single negotiated agreement. Facilitation of interest-based negotiations designed to preserve co-parenting relationships, reduce future litigation, and create durable agreements tailored to the unique needs of individual families.

I view mediation as an opportunity for parties to make informed decisions about their future rather than delegate those decisions to a judge. My role is to create a structured process that promotes productive communication, realistic expectations, and durable agreements while preserving each party's right to self-determination. I generally employ a facilitative approach, helping parties identify interests, evaluate options, and develop solutions tailored to their unique circumstances. When working with self-represented parties, I place significant emphasis on education, organization, and process management. I provide clear guidance regarding the mediation process, identify information that may be necessary to facilitate productive negotiations, and utilize timelines, checklists, and action items to keep matters moving toward resolution. Preparation is a critical component of my mediation process. In matters involving attorneys, I typically conduct a pre-mediation conference call with counsel to identify the issues in dispute, discuss information and document exchanges, establish an agenda, and address any procedural concerns before the mediation session. Pre-mediation briefs are requested whenever appropriate. At the beginning of the mediation, each party is generally provided an opportunity to present their perspective, concerns, and goals. Depending on the nature of the dispute, I may utilize joint sessions, caucuses, or a combination of both. I routinely conduct virtual mediations and am experienced in managing multiple caucus rooms and multi-party negotiations. I approach every mediation with the goal of understanding not only the legal issues involved, but also the practical, financial, and emotional interests driving the dispute. While I have extensive litigation experience and can assist parties in evaluating risk, I do not view my role as deciding who is right or wrong. Rather, I seek to facilitate constructive dialogue, test assumptions, identify areas of agreement, and help parties explore settlement options that may not be available through litigation. Many family law disputes cannot be meaningfully resolved in a single session. In complex matters, I often utilize a multi-session process that includes interim deadlines, targeted information exchanges, and action plans designed to keep negotiations moving forward while ensuring that parties have the information necessary to make informed decisions. I respect party autonomy and believe that settlements are most durable when parties actively participate in creating them. My objective is to provide a professional, efficient, and respectful process that allows parties to resolve disputes with dignity while minimizing the financial and emotional costs associated with continued conflict.

Extensive experience conducting virtual mediations, settlement conferences, consultations, and client meetings through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Comfortable managing fully remote proceedings, including multi-party sessions, private caucus rooms, screen sharing, electronic document review, and real-time collaborative negotiations. Proficient in cloud-based practice management and document systems, including Clio for case management, calendaring, workflow management, document generation, client communication, and secure file sharing. Regularly utilizes Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office applications for document review, preparation, organization, and collaboration. Experienced in reviewing and analyzing financial information generated through a variety of accounting platforms and financial reporting systems. Familiar with QuickBooks and the interpretation of financial records commonly utilized in family law and business-related disputes. Knowledgeable regarding electronic document management and the review of electronically stored information, including electronic financial records, email communications, text messages, digital account records, and cloud-based documentation. Utilizes artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency, organization, and information management. Practical experience includes the use of AI-assisted tools for summarizing large volumes of information, identifying key issues, organizing data, developing workflows, generating checklists, and streamlining administrative processes. AI tools are utilized as an aid to organization and efficiency while maintaining independent professional judgment, confidentiality obligations, and responsibility for all substantive work product.

Santa Clara Law (JD - 2015); St. Leo University (BA, Business Marketing - 2010).

Admitted to the Bar: California (2015).

Santa Clara County Bar Association; San Francisco Bar Association; California Lawyers Association (CLA).

Hourly Rate: $495.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $495.00/hr Cancellation: $495.00/hr Cancellation Period: 24 Days Comment: Out of pocket costs to be paid at incurred rate.

English

United States of America

Campbell, California