Hon. Curtis M. Fiorini (Ret.)

Hon. Curtis M. Fiorini (Ret.) brings more than 30 years of legal experience to his work as a neutral, including more than 15 years on the Sacramento County Superior Court. During his judicial tenure, he served as supervising judge for civil settlements and conducted hundreds of settlement conferences involving personal injury, medical malpractice, business and commercial, commercial real estate, breach of contract, construction defect, lemon law and employment disputes. Judge Fiorini brings an engaged, practical approach to mediation, working closely with counsel and parties to assess legal and factual issues, evaluate risk and identify meaningful paths toward resolution.

Before taking the bench, Judge Fiorini developed substantial civil litigation experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in business and commercial, employment, personal injury, property, and trusts and estates matters. At Jackson Lewis, he represented primarily national retailers in employment litigation, and at Damrell, Nelson, Schrimp, Pallios & Ladine, he handled civil matters from pleadings and discovery through mediation and settlement negotiations. He later served with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, gaining significant trial experience and where his civil litigation background led to an assignment handling complex environmental litigation in the Consumer and Environmental Protection Division.

Judge Fiorini’s approach to dispute resolution is also informed by extensive trial and evidentiary experience and his work handling sensitive, high-conflict matters. During his judicial career, he presided over jury trials and evidentiary proceedings and served as presiding judge of the Domestic Violence Home Court. A longtime legal educator, he has taught at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento and UC Davis School of Law and has been recognized multiple times for excellence in teaching. His experience as a judge, civil litigator, advocate and educator enables him to identify the issues at the heart of a dispute while fostering a prepared, respectful and collaborative environment for resolution.