Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)

T: 415-982-5267
F:415-982-5287
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Professional Liability
Judge Westerfield has settled and arbitrated over 2,000 cases including commercial, environmental, real estate, insurance coverage, personal injury, product liability, professional malpractice, and employment matters throughout the U.S. Her sensitivity and tenacity in managing cases with high emotional content is particularly effective. She is widely respected for her ability to grasp legal and factual issues quickly. Judge Westerfield has experience in a wide variety of professional malpractice claims including realtors and financial advisors and stockbrokers.

Representative Matters

  • Accounting Malpractice
    • Failure to advise properly on Alternative Minimum Tax effect
    • Failure to discern fraud upon independent audit
    • Failure to file proper tax returns for multi-million dollar estate
    • Failure to provide appropriate advice on exercise of stock options
  • Legal Malpractice
    • Underlying cases have involved antitrust matters, probate and estate issues, personal injury claims, contract disputes, business transactions, financial restrictions, closing documents
  • Medical and Dental Malpractice
    • Cases involving elderly with attendant elder abuse statutory claims
    • Chiropractic and acupuncture malpractice
    • Death of child resulting from extubation
    • Failure to diagnose
    • Permanent brain injury to child during delivery
    • Surgical procedures resulting in death and permanent injuries
    • Understaffing
  • Psychiatric Malpractice
    • Inappropriate treatment
    • Sexual assault claims
    • Violation of boundaries between health care provider and patient

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

  • Active member, State Bar of California
  • Top California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009;
  • Best Lawyer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Category, Best Lawyers in America and California Super Lawyer, 2008-2010
  • Best Lawyer in the Bay Area, San Francisco Business Times, 2009
  • One of the Top Three Best Neutrals in the Bay Area, The Recorder, 2007  
  • One of the 500 Leading Judges in America, by Lawdragon Magazine, 2006
  • Distinguished Mediator of the Year, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2003
  • One of the Top 10 Mediators in the Bay Area, The Recorder, 2002
  • One of California's Most Effective Mediators, Daily Journal, 2002
  • President and Co-Founder of RockRose Institute
  • Member, National Association of Women Judges, International Academy of Trial Judges
  • Adjunct Professor, International Summer School on Business Mediation, Admont, Austria
  • Chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s International Human Right Committee
  • Participant, International Human Rights Summer School, Oxford University-New College 2004
  • Advisory Board for Facing History and Ourselves
  • Member, American Bar Association House of Delegates
  • Board of Directors, Bar Association of San Francisco, 1994-1997
  • Chair, American Bar Association Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities, 1994-1995
  • ABA Commission on Women in the Profession
  • Co-authored the ADR chapter of CEB's Wrongful Termination Practice 2ed. (1997) and 3ed. (2004)

Background and Education

  • Serves on ADR panel for the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California
  • Appointed Judge, Circuit Court of Jefferson Co., Kentucky (court of general jurisdiction), 1987-1992
  • Admitted to Bar of United States Supreme Court, 6th and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeals
  • MLA, Stanford University, 2008
  • J.D., University of Kentucky, 1975 (Law Journal, National Moot Court Team)
  • B.A., University of Kentucky with distinction, 1972