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Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)

T: 415-982-5267
F:415-982-5287
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Recognized as a Top California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009

Recognized as a Best Lawyer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Category, Best Lawyers in America, 2008-2010

Recognized as One of the Top Three Best Neutrals in the Bay Area, The Recorder, 2007

Recognized as One of the 500 Leading Judges in America, by Lawdragon Magazine, 2006

Distinguished Mediator of the Year, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2003

Case Manager

Melissa Ornstil
JAMS
Two Embarcadero Center
Suite 1500
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-774-2600 Phone
415-982-5287 Fax
Email:

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Locations

Available to hear cases nationwide.
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Healthcare
Judge Westerfield has settled and arbitrated over 2,000 cases since joining JAMS as a full-time panelist since 1993. She has significant experience in mediating and arbitrating cases involving various facets of the healthcare industry.

Resolution Expertise
  • ADA and ADEA claims
  • Alternative medicine malpractice – acupuncture, chiropractic
  • Benefits disputes
  • Billing issues
  • Brain injuries
  • Discrimination claims
  • Elder abuse
  • Emergency room malpractice
  • Employment issues
  • Hospital malpractice
  • Insurance coverage
  • Medical malpractice
  • Nursing malpractice
  • Practice dissolutions
  • Psychiatric malpractice
  • Surgical malpractice
  • Valuation of practices
  • Wrongful death actions
  • Wrongful discharge

Representative Matters

  • Claims of permanent injury to child during delivery
  • Contractual billing dispute between doctors’ group and insurance company
  • Death of child from improper application of medical device
  • Facilitating communications among members of medical professional group
  • Failure to diagnose cancer
  • Failure to do proper blood work up
  • Hospital worker’s wrongful termination claim based on “whistleblower” statute
  • Insurance policy benefits: experimental/appropriate treatment/medical necessity
  • Partnership dispute between doctor and medical group involving valuation issues
  • Surgery on misidentified patient
  • Wrongful death of elderly female under nursing home care and related statutory elder abuse claims

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