Hon. Kevin W. Midlam (Ret.)

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F:619-236-9032
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Hon. Kevin W. Midlam (Ret.) is firmly committed to the concept of early, efficient and economical disposition of cases. Over forty years as a lawyer, judge, mediator and arbitrator have provided Judge Midlam with the experience and background necessary to assist parties in all areas of civil disputes in the conclusion of their matters through mediation, settlement or arbitration.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

Specialties include:
  • Construction defect and delay claims
  • Commercial disputes
  • Legal, medical and real estate professional negligence claims
  • Personal injury complaints
  • Employment disputes
  • Eminent domain
  • Insurance coverage matters

Representative Matters

  • Mediated and arbitrated construction delay matters and defect cases involving hundreds of millions of dollars in claims, numerous professional malpractice matters involving the legal, medical, architectural and real estate professions. He has been involved with the resolution of commercial disputes, insurance coverage and bad faith claims, as well as employment related matters.
  • As a lawyer and a Judge, he handled a number of matters that resulted in appellate decisions establishing law in the area of insurance coverage, indemnity, summary judgment and duties of real estate agents.
  • While on the bench, Judge Midlam handled all types of litigation matters and sat as a law and motion judge in one of California's largest Superior Courts. For the last three and one-half years of his tenure, he handled all of the construction defect litigation for San Diego County as an independent calendar Judge and averaged a 180 to 200+ caseload at all times.

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

  • Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators
  • Active member, State Bar of California
  • Member, California Judges Association
  • Member, Judicial Council, State of California, 1982-1986
  • Board of Governors, State Bar of California, 1979-1982 (Vice President, 1982; chairperson of a number of committees; involved in the establishment of the California Lawyer, the official magazine of the State Bar and served on its editorial board for a number of years)
  • Founding Director, Louis M. Welsh Inn of Court, a college of advocacy, and the William A. Enright Inn-American Inns of Court
  • Lecturer/panelist at the ABA, State Bar of California, California Judges Association, Nevada Bar Association, various local and specialty bar associations, The Rutter Group, Mealeys, and The American Conference Institute. Since receiving his mediation training at the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University College of Law, Judge Midlam has become involved in its ADR bi-annual seminars as a lecturer and panelist on the mediation of complex and construction defect matters
  • Presenter, Judicial College at Berkeley Law School, on matters of case and trial management for newly appointed judges; taught similar subjects as an advanced course for the California Judicial Studies Program
  • Associate Editor, Civil Procedure Before Trial-The Rutter Group and contributor of articles on various subjects to numerous periodicals, including the Los Angeles Daily Journal
  • Adjunct Professor, Western States College of Law and The University of San Diego College of Law
  • "Nuts & Bolts," Daily Journal, ADR Profile, December 10, 2010

Background and Education

  • Justice, Court of Appeal (on assignment), 4th District, Division 1, January-March, 1995
  • Judge, San Diego Superior Court, 1988-1995; Supervising Judge, Vista Branch, 1990 & 1991
  • Founding Partner, Ault, Midlam and Reynolds (an insurance defense firm), San Diego, 1979-1988
  • Private practice, Johnson & Midlam, San Diego, 1967-1979
  • Private practice, Johnson, Estep & Midlam, San Diego, 1965-1967
  • Deputy City Attorney, City of San Diego, 1964-1965
  • J.D., Willamette University College of Law, 1963
  • B.S. in Law, Willamette University, 1961