Hon. Terry B. Friedman (Ret.) conducted numerous settlement conferences, trials, motions, and various other hearings during his 15-year tenure on the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

He has established a reputation for being a patient, intelligent, fair, and collaborative judicial officer who relates well to parties and comes to his hearings thoroughly prepared. Three decades of experience in public service as an attorney, state legislator, and trial court judge have honed Judge Friedman’s ability to help disparate groups reach mutually acceptable solutions to high-visibility and high-stakes conflicts.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• Experience mediating and arbitrating complex disputes spanning numerous industries and practice areas
• Conducted trials, hearings, and successful mandatory settlement conferences on a wide spectrum of issues, including many complex matters, while on the Superior Court bench

Representative Matters

• Business Commercial
• Disputes involving banking, bankruptcy, breach of contract, commercial foreclosure, consumer, corporate, and partnership issues
• Civil Rights
• Settled in several-day mandatory settlement conference during three-week trial Red Light Abatement/public nuisance action by city to close adult dancing business on grounds it was front for prostitution  
• Construction Defect
• Settled $2 million action regarding construction of guest house at luxury residential property. Achieved settlement by devising process for special master to determine defect, delay, and damages issues
• Settled $150,000 action involving damages from rain runoff due to faulty construction of new patio and pool
• Settled $160,000 construction defect dispute
• Employment Law
• Wage and hour arbitration involving allegations of unpaid minimum and overtime wages and failure to provide meal periods and rest breaks at vocational college
• Arbitrated employment dispute involving non-payment of wages and wrongful termination
• Discovery referee on extensive and complicated motions in claim by renowned video game developers seeking more than $100 million in unpaid royalties, bonuses, and other compensation after termination by major video game publisher on grounds of insubordination, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duties not to compete or use proprietary material
• Resolved former employee’s pre-litigation mediation of confidential sexual harassment claim against doctor
• Resolved part-time employee’s pre-litigation sexual harassment claim against owner of insurance business
• Six-day arbitration of multi-million-dollar dispute involving compensation due to former partner in major medical practice. Dispute included complicated accounting issues and evidence of sexual misconduct.
• Entertainment & Sports
• Resolved disputes involving high-profile talent, writers, producers, and production companies
• Disputes involving high profile individuals and personal staff members
• Discovery referee for countless complicated motions for renowned video game developers regarding unpaid royalties, bonuses and other compensation following termination
• Numerous disputes involving media producers and publishers with claims related to insubordination, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty 
• Multimillion-dollar disputes between film production companies and successful independent film makers regarding production of multiple films
• Discovery referee on several extensive motions by major sports and entertainment facility alleging major television network broadcast defamatory news reports about facility
• Claims regarding failure to properly allocate value of film to licensees
• Many disputes related to failure to pay according to contractual formula
• Numerous multimillion-dollar disputes between major international film studios and national hedge fund investors regarding funding of theatrically released films
• Matters related to sequel rights and compensation disputes between film producers and production company
• Participation disputes between producer-writer and film production company regarding post-resignation work
• Matter between two major international talent agencies disputing millions in commissions from multiple film projects
• Dispute between network and creator of top-ranked television program regarding format and creative control
• Business disputes between partner companies in motivational speaking industry
• Pre-hearing matters in dispute between film company and 3D producer
• Dispute between reality television producer and provider of specialty cars and drivers
• Matter regarding $500,000 minimum guarantee to produce live stage versions of popular television programs
• Fee disputes regarding representation of independent film company by major national law firm
• Tripartite arbitration appeal involving buy-sell agreement by which studio purchased classic comic book and film intellectual property with complex contract interpretation
• Dispute related to reality television contestant alleging wrongful discharge by production company
• Numerous disputes between Academy Award winning production companies and screenwriters and producers of franchise films
• Disputes between musical performers and concert booking agencies
• Post-termination dispute between studio President and studio
• Actor’s $7 million breach of contract case against production companies for failure to finish project
• Breach of contract claims involving product placement in a motion picture
• Dispute involving actress’ breach of contract claims over commercial endorsement and modeling work
• Multi-million-dollar dispute between companies over transfer of major film into 3D format
• Arbitration of multi-million-dollar film financing dispute
• Arbitrator for matter involving claims of breach of trade-out agreement between production company and vendor
• Bench trial involving multiple parties to film financing agreement
• Bench trial involving writer who claimed producer failed to pay for completed script
• Breach of contract claims involving record royalties for third-party use of master recordings
• Claims by actress that publicity photo was improperly used
• Defamation claims against comedian and several international television networks
• Discovery referee on defamation matter involving television network and large sports and entertainment venue
• Granted anti-SLAPP motion dismissing claims that website failed to properly credit producer for three motion picture productions
• Breach of employment contract disputes involving home entertainment subsidiaries of international media companies and parent firms of several major restaurant chains
• Numerous fraud actions involving film financing
• Case between writer/producer against television network involving “pay or play” provision in contract Presided over two-week court trial involving fraudulent representation claims to investors about license to produce, distribute, and sell popular musician’s record
• Environmental Law
• Conducted hearings on writ of mandate
• Family Law
• Settled disputes involving custody and probate issues
• Health Care
• Arbitrated dispute between hospital and insurer over non-payment of HMO member’s $300,000 emergency and outpatient bills
• Five-day arbitration involving cardiologist’s breach of contract and fraudulent inducement claims against hospital that allegedly induced him to relocate on basis of promised support and income
• Insurance
• Resolved disputes involving bad faith, subrogation, and coverage issues
• Successful mediation of dispute between city and two sureties regarding bond to complete construction of $6 million park following bankrupt developer’s default
• Intellectual Property
• Arbitrated multi-million-dollar licensing dispute involving dietary supplement
• Arbitrator for dispute involving biotech licensing dispute
• Arbitrator for dispute regarding confidentiality agreement and use of formula and process to manufacture nutritional candy product
• Personal Injury
• Settled claims involving assault and battery, auto, construction site, elder abuse, premises and product liability, defamation, and malicious prosecution
• Resolved disputes ranging from simple two-party to complex multiparty and catastrophic claims
• Professional Liability
• Settled legal malpractice action against major firm for $500,000
• Settled $2 million wrongful death action against hospital and doctors involving prominent attorney who died of cardiac arrest immediately after seeing cardiac specialist and while on way to various tests
• Settled $165,000 action against imaging center for misdiagnosis after failed attempt to settle in prior mandatory settlement conference before another judicial officer
• Real Property
• Resolved disputes involving breach of contract, homeowner associations, eminent domain, inverse condemnation, landlord/tenant, and other real estate issues

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Appointed to Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act Implementation Committee, 2010
• Judge of the Year, Juvenile Court Judges of California, 2001
• Recipient, Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Public Health by a State Legislator, American Medical Association, 1995
• Public Service Award,Western Center on Law and Poverty, 1993
• Public Service Award for Excellence, UCLA Alumni Association, 1990
• Judicial Council of California, 2005-2012
  • Commission on Impartial Courts, Judicial Selection & Retention Task Force, 2007-2010
  • California Blue Ribbon Commission on Foster Care, 2006-2010

ADR Profiles

• "Careful Approach," Daily Journal, ADR Profile, December 28, 2018

Background and Education

• Mediator and Arbitrator, JAMS, 2010-present
• Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, 1995-2010
• Member, California State Assembly, 1986-1994
• Executive Director, Bet Tzedek, 1978-1986
• Staff Attorney, Western Center on Law and Poverty, 1976-1978
• J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (formerly Boalt Hall School of Law), 1976
• B.A., with Honors, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), 1971