Gerald A. Kurland, Esq. has been consistently named by the Daily Journal as one of the top neutrals in California and has been described in a recent article as "simply one of the best mediators around." He is well-known as one of the leading construction mediators and special masters in the state and also for his ability to continually achieve consensus in the most difficult and complex matters in a wide variety of practice areas.

Mr. Kurland is designated with the highest-level ranking (Star Individual) in California construction mediation by Chambers USA 2023-2024, and as Band 1 in 2021 and 2022. 

Over the past 30 years, Mr. Kurland has successfully mediated thousands of disputes involving billions of dollars in claims collectively. Mr. Kurland's construction and real estate dispute resolution experience includes virtually all types of commercial, industrial, public works and residential projects. Most of his cases also involve complex insurance issues.

Jerry received his J.D. from the UC Berkeley School of Law, where he was a member of the California Law Review. He also graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA, where he served as undergraduate student body president.

Representative Matters

• Business Commercial
• Claims against financial institution for allowing unauthorized withdrawals
• Action against bank for valuables missing from safe deposit box
• Claims against storage facility for lost belongings
• Actions by lenders against borrowers for monies owed under secured loans
• Breach of warranty and "lemon law" claims by auto purchaser against national auto manufacturer
  
  
• Employment Law
• Claim against major financial services firm for AIDS discrimination
• Claim of racial discrimination by U.S. citizen against foreign company
• Sexual harassment claim by employee based on hostile work environment
• Severance dispute among several branch managers and financial institution
  
  
• Engineering & Construction
• Claims for delay, lack of productivity, disruption, acceleration, differing site conditions, cost overrun, payment, mechanics liens, surety, defect and/or breach of contract involving:
• High-rise office buildings, residential and mixed-use projects, including the Millennium Tower and numerous other properties in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego and Hawaii
• Sports stadiums and arenas in Northern and Southern California
• Public and private transportation projects throughout California, including airport buildings, runways, airplane fuel delivery facilities, railways and subways 
• Government buildings and projects, including fire, police and prison/detention facilities in Northern, Central and Southern California, downtown revitalization projects, a federal munitions plant in the Midwest, and a satellite communications and operations center
• Infrastructure projects throughout California, including major highways, roadways, pipelines, water treatment plants, flood control channels, storm drains, dams, reservoirs, bridges, electrical power plants and photovoltaic farms (in California, Arizona and Minnesota)
• Public and private university and primary and secondary school facilities throughout California
• Hospitals and assisted living facilities in Northern, Central and Southern California
• Hotels and resorts throughout California and ski resort in Utah
• Churches and synagogues in Central and Southern California
• Data center and headquarters for Silicon Valley company
• Harbor and dockyard reconstruction projects
• Gold mine in Mexico (claims relating to decreased level of gold production due to improper design and engineering)
• Many complex geotechnical matters, including subjacent and lateral support claims, landslides and slope failures
• Inverse condemnation cases arising from earth movement and bridge construction
  
  
• Entertainment & Sports
• Mediation of issues relating to the purchase and sale of film production facilities
• Mediation of many matters involving the purchase, sale, lease, and development of homes and other properties owned by well-known artists and executives in the entertainment and sports fields
• Mediation of issues relating to construction and development of large-scale sports venues
• Mediation of inverse condemnation, business interruption, nuisance and trespass claim by owner of production facility
• Arbitration of software company's claim of infringement of trade name and logo
• Arbitration of trademark infringement claim by restaurant franchisor and former franchisee
• Handled the documentation of all agreements between executive producer of major motion picture with writer, director, composer and all talent for the film (including profit participation arrangements)
• Structured and documented the lease of satellite transponders by multi-national broadcast network
• Issues relating to licenses and easements for large cable television company
• Claims against director, producer and unit production manager relating to accident in the filming of major motion picture
  
  
• Environmental Law
• Environmental remediation claims at Northern California port
• Remediation claims resulting from the transfer of dirt containing asbestos from a Santa Monica public works site to commercial project site in Los Angeles County
• Remediation claims arising from deposit of demolition materials from Southern California construction site onto another property
  
  
• Insurance
• Claims involving CGL, design professional (including OPPI), builders risk, pollution, subguard and business interruption policies, including matters relating to OCIPs, CCIPs, deductibles, SIRs, primary/excess and horizontal/vertical exhaustion and issues relating to the interplay between different types of policies
• Many subrogation, contribution and other reimbursement claims
• Business interruption matters including claims by large national producer of consumer products for production losses and interruptions from Hurricane Harvey and claims by West Coast hotel operator for shutdowns from storm damage
• Builders risk matters including claims for damages from rain events at numerous California commercial, residential and mixed-use projects and at Hawaii high-rise 
• Title insurance claims, including matter relating to encroachments affecting development of downtown Los Angeles property
  
  
• Personal Injury
• Wrongful death from truck/auto collision
• Construction accidents, including injuries from dirt dropped on worker by backhoe and involving falls from a lift and scaffolding
• Numerous automobile accidents
• Dog bite involving young child
• Assault and battery claim under jurisdiction of district attorney
• Real Property
• Many actions among sellers, buyers, brokers and escrows, including breach of contract, non-disclosure, misrepresentation and fraud claims:
• Arbitrations and mediations involving specific performance and rescission remedies and property buy-backs
• Numerous claims relating to encroachments and easements
• Nuisance and trespass claims
• Landlord/Tenant matters, including action involving responsibility between landlord and tenant for payment of tenant improvement construction costs
• Breaches of lease agreement
• Disputes over calculation of leasehold and ground leasehold rent
• Mediation of lease buy-out
• Breach of contract claim by purchaser of land against seller for alleged failure to comply with obligation to pay development entitlement fees
• Disputes between buyer and seller relating to satisfaction of environmental remediation and other obligations relating to property development

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Designated with the highest-level ranking (Star Individual) in California Construction Mediators, Chambers USA, 2023-2024 and as Band 1 in 2021 and 2022. 
• "Riding the Mediation Wave," Berkeley Law Transcript, October 1, 2021
• "Gold Standard," ADR Profile, Daily Journal, January 15, 2021
• Selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2010-2016, 2019
• Recognized as an “ADR Champion”, National Law Journal, 2018
• Selected as a Top 50 California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2003, 2009, 2011-2013 (This ranking ended in 2013.)
• "High-Level Connector," ADR Profile, Daily Journal, March 25, 2011
• Jerrold S. Oliver Award of Excellence, presented at West Coast Casualty Construction Conference for outstanding contribution to the construction community, 2008
• Selected as a Top 40 California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2007 and 2008
• Selected as a Top 30 California Neutral, Daily Journal, 2006
• Selected as one of California’s 20 Most Sought-After Neutrals, Daily Journal, 2002
• United States Bankruptcy Court (Central District of California) Panel of Mediators
• Appointed by Mayor of Los Angeles to San Fernando Valley Citizens’ Committee addressing traffic and transportation issues
• Commended by Los Angeles City Councilmembers Joel Wachs and Michael Woo for efforts in securing land for the expansion of the Studio City Library (1991)
• UCLA Alumni Association Board of Directors, 1979-80 and 1985-1988
• Recipient of UCLA Alumni Association’s “Outstanding Senior Award” (1980)

Background and Education

• J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (formerly Boalt Hall), 1983 (Law Review)
• B.A., summa cum laude, UCLA, 1980 (Phi Beta Kappa, Student Body President)