Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)

Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.) has settled and arbitrated over 2,000 cases throughout the United States. A full-time JAMS panelist since 1993, Judge Westerfield is widely perceived as an excellent mediator and has an extremely high settlement rate. She is known for her ability to grasp legal and factual issues quickly, as well as reading the personalities involved. Judge Westerfield is particularly adept at dealing with matters that involve cross-cultural dynamics. She manages the ADR process efficiently and fairly.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• Served as a mediator, arbitrator, judge pro tem and special master in a variety of cases including complex litigation with multiple parties
• Extensive mediation experience in a large variety of cases including accounting, finance, banking, business/commercial, civil rights, class action/mass tort, construction, employment, entertainment, estates/probate/trusts, franchise, government public agency, health care, insurance, maritime/admiralty, personal injury, professional liability, real property, securities
• Noted for effectiveness in settling litigation with high emotional content, such as reorganization of closely-held businesses, dissolution of professional practices, serious personal injury and wrongful death claims, and family estate disputes
• Settled appellate cases in both state and federal court
• Arbitrated numerous medical and legal malpractice, construction, commercial and environmental cases, as well as disputes regarding significant attorneys fees

Representative Matters

• Contentious division of family estate valued in excess of $20 million (complex tax and valuation issues)
• Jones Act wrongful death on oil tanker
• Machine product liability claim involving wrongful death
• Elder abuse claims
• Medical malpractice claims involving wrongful death and permanent injury
• Forty-day complex arbitration arising out of Los Angeles metro system construction
• $40 million dollar dispute regarding allocation of remedial costs for groundwater contamination
• Sexual harassment claims against high profile corporate executives, well-known professional athletes and public officials
• Franchise disputes
• Real estate and landlord-tenant disputes, including mold issues
• Multiple wrongful death and permanent personal injuries arising out of boating and sailing accidents
• Legal malpractice cases involving corporate refinancing and antitrust
• Securities fraud and issues of suitability of investments
• Alleged use of excessive force in policing actions
• Multi-million dollar disputes arising out of casino developments on tribal lands