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Hon. Jamie Jacobs-May (Ret.)

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Hon. Jamie Jacobs-May (Ret.) serves as a neutral with JAMS, where she is recognized for her ability to resolve complex, high-stakes disputes through strategic persistence, a thorough analysis of the facts and law, and strong interpersonal skills. Having handled thousands of matters over more than 36 years as both a judge and neutral, Judge Jacobs-May is known for building trust with parties, managing difficult negotiations effectively, and helping litigants reach resolution even when positions appear far apart.

Attorneys value Judge Jacobs-May’s preparation, practical judgment, and ability to quickly learn complicated legal and factual issues. Her mediation style combines candid case evaluation with emotional intelligence, active listening, and a calm but engaged approach that helps parties realistically assess risk, overcome impasse, and maintain momentum toward settlement. Known for her ability to build rapport with parties and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, she has earned a reputation for effectively facilitating resolution in even the most challenging disputes.

Judge Jacobs-May appreciates the role that creativity, humor, and human connection can play in successful negotiations and is known for developing practical, tailored solutions that address both legal and nonlegal barriers to resolution. Lawyers frequently commend her persistence, professionalism, and commitment to achieving settlement.

Before joining JAMS, Judge Jacobs-May served for 21 years on the Superior Court and Municipal Court of California, County of Santa Clara. In recognition of her judicial leadership, she was elected by her colleagues to serve as Presiding Judge of both courts. Throughout her judicial career and subsequent neutral practice, she has handled thousands of matters and developed extensive experience in business and contract disputes, construction and construction defect matters, education law, individual and class action employment and wage and hour disputes, health care matters, personal injury cases, probate, estate and trust disputes, and real estate and real property matters.

Judge Jacobs-May has held numerous leadership roles within California's judiciary. In addition to being elected by her colleagues to serve as Presiding Judge, she served on the Judicial Council of California, the state's policy-making body for the courts; chaired the Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee, responsible for drafting the California Rules of Court; and served on the CACI Advisory Committee, which drafts California's civil jury instructions. She also consulted on the California Judges Bench Books (CJER) covering civil proceedings before, during, and after trial. A respected educator, Judge Jacobs-May has taught courses on negotiation and mediation skills nationally and internationally, including at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Santa Clara University School of Law, and the University of Tartu in Estonia.

Representative Matters

Business Commercial

Mediated the full range of business and commercial disputes, including:
- Breach of contract, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, conversion, unfair competition, professional malpractice arising from commercial transactions across multiple industries
- Partnership, corporate, and limited liability company disputes involving business dissolution, shareholder and board conflicts, derivative claims, executive compensation and commissioned stock issuance disputes
- Trade secret and proprietary information disputes involving customer lists, software code, confidential business information, and allegations of misappropriation
- Shareholder and business valuation disputes involving ownership interests, buyout rights
- Winding up and dissolution disputes
- Insurance bad faith disputes involving coverage, damages, and business loss claims

Construction

Mediated commercial construction disputes involving contract performance, project delays, payment claims, rent obligations, property damage allegations, and contract interpretation issues
Mediated residential construction disputes involving construction defects, breach of contract claims, mechanic's lien rights, and payment disputes

Education Law

Mediated injury claims brought by students against teachers and educational institutions
Mediated tenure cases and other employment matters involving educational institutions and higher education institutions
Mediated charter school disputes

Employment Law

Mediated individual and representative employment actions involving wage and hour matters and claims of unfair treatment in the workplace, including:
- Misclassification, failure to pay overtime, meal and rest period claims, overtime, waiting time penalties, and other claims under the California Labor Code and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)
- Full panoply of employment disputes involving individual and multiple plaintiffs across a broad range of employers, from small businesses to large national and multinational companies, including claims of discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, failure to engage in the interactive process/reasonable accommodation, whistleblower and retaliation claims under federal and state law, including FEHA, Title VII, the ADA, FMLA, CFRA, and California Labor Code section 1102.5
- Executive employment and compensation disputes involving employment agreements, commission structures, incentive compensation, separation issues, and related contractual claims
- Trade secret and post-employment disputes involving alleged misappropriation of confidential information, breach of confidentiality obligations, unfair competition, and related business tort claims

Estate Probate Trusts

Mediated probate, estate and trust disputes involving:
- Allegations of undue influence, lack of capacity, financial elder abuse, misrepresentation, and challenges to wills, trusts, amendments and other estate planning instruments
- Validity and interpretation of testamentary documents, intestate succession, constructive trust claims, powers of attorney
- Challenges to the trust administration involving breach of fiduciary duty, contested accountings, surcharge claims, trustee authority, management decisions, and allocation disputes among beneficiaries
- Complex and high-value estate and trust matters, involving closely held businesses, family partnerships, investment portfolios, and significant real property holdings, including valuation and distribution disputes among multiple beneficiaries.
- Conservatorship and guardianship matters
- Charitable foundations, nonprofit beneficiaries, and charitable trust interests

Health Care

Mediated disputes involving individuals and both small and large institutions in the healthcare industry, including physicians, dentists, nursing homes, hospitals and surgery centers

Personal Injury

Mediated personal injury disputes including:
- Wrongful death matters
- Catastrophic personal injury matters involving severe and permanent injuries, significant economic damages, and complex liability issues
- Catastrophic fire litigation, including cases arising from the San Bruno pipeline explosion
- Accidents involving automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, commercial carriers, and public entities
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist disputes
- Product liability and toxic exposure claims involving claims of design, manufacturing, and warning defects
- Sexual assault, abuse, and related emotional distress and psychological injury claims
- Premises liability, animal attacks, sports and recreational injuries, amusement park incidents, and equipment-related accidents
- Insurance coverage disputes arising from personal injury claims

Real Property

Mediated real estate disputes involving purchase and sale transactions, misrepresentation, nondisclosure, breach of contract and real estate development projects
Mediated disputes involving commercial leases, landlord-tenant matters, homeowners associations, and the ownership, management, and operation of real property
Mediated actions for partition, quiet title, easement, nuisance, trespass and other real property disputes involving competing ownership interests, property rights, and requests for injunctive relief

Jamie Jacobs-May

Hon. Jamie Jacobs-May (Ret.) | JAMS Mediator

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS.

Recognized as a "Rising Star," Top California Neutrals List, Daily Journal, 2013
Judicial Advisor, Litigation Section of the State Bar Executive Committee, 2013
Adjunct Professor, Negotiations, University of California Berkeley School of Law, 2012-2013
"Best Mediator” listing of California’s Best Legal Service Providers, The Recorder, 2012
"Lifetime Achievement Award," Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association, 2011
"Outstanding Jurist of the Year," Santa Clara County Bar Association, 2010
“Top 100 Women of Influence," San Jose Business Journal, 2009
“Judge of the Year," Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association, 2006
Member, statewide Bench-Bar-Media Task Force, 2009-present
Member, statewide Procedural Fairness Editorial Board, 2009-present
Member, National Association of Women Judges, 1989-present
Member, Bar Association of San Francisco, present
Member, Santa Clara Bar Association, and acted as a member of various committees of the Bar Association, 1989-2010
Member, Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee, 2008-2010
Consultant, California Judges Benchbook, Civil Proceedings Before Trial, 2006-2010
Member, Judicial Council of California, 2006-2008
Chair, Planning Committee for California Judges Association 2005 Midyear Conference
Member and Chair of various Santa Clara County Superior Court committees, 1998-2010
Member, Continuing Judicial Studies Education Committee, 2004-2007
Member, Civil Jury Instructions Advisory Committee, 2004-2006
Member, Judicial Services Task Force, 2003
Bencher, American Inns of Court, 1998-present
Member, Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee, 1997
Member and Chair, Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee, 1997-1999
Senior Fellow, American Leadership Forum, a national non-profit organization which selects leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors to work on public issues, 2000-present
"All About Teamwork," ADR Profile, Daily Journal, April 6, 2012

Background and Education

Judge, Superior Court, County of Santa Clara, 1998-2011
- Presiding Judge, 2009-2010
- Assistant Presiding Judge, 2007-2008
Judge, Municipal Court, County of Santa Clara, 1989-1998
- Presiding Judge, 1997
- Assistant Presiding Judge, 1996
Deputy County Counsel, Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office, 1983-1989
Associate, Berliner, Cohen, 1981-1983
Deputy Attorney General, California Attorney General’s Office, 1974-1981
J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (formerly Boalt Hall School of Law), 1974
A.B. with Honors, Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, 1970

Virtual & In-Person Locations

Home Offices

Silicon Valley, CA
San Francisco, CA
Santa Rosa, CA
Walnut Creek, CA

Available to Travel To

Atlanta, GA
Boca Raton, FL
Boston, MA
Century City, CA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Detroit, MI
Houston, TX
Inland Empire, CA
Las Vegas, NV
London
Los Angeles, CA
Miami, FL
Minneapolis, MN
New York, NY
Orange County, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Sacramento, CA
San Diego, CA
Seattle, WA
St. Louis, MO
Toronto, ON
Washington, DC

Virtual hearings available nationwide

"Hon. Jamie Jacobs-May is as tenacious a mediator as I am a litigator. She is always well prepared, having studied the mediation statements, documents, etc. as she would if she was representing one of the parties. She is assertive in advocating a point when need be, which is indispensable in eliminating unnecessary impediments to settlement and educating counsel and their clients. More significantly, she seldom allows large differences in the parties’ respective settlement positions to frustrate her, even at the later stages of a full day mediation. She mediates like she has a ‘stake’ in a successful outcome, which from a mediator’s perspective is to get the case settled. Simply put, she’s one of the very best mediators around."

— Greater Bay Area Litigator

“I find you to be an exceptional mediator…You have a fully educated and informed understanding of the scope of mediation techniques…You have a unique method of combining an [evaluative] method with a truly understanding, compassionate, patient, and active listening approach…It is exceptionally rare to find a mediator who effectively utilizes techniques at both ends of the spectrum, who fluidly moves along the spectrum and who is perceptive and attentive enough to assess where along the spectrum they are most likely to be effective with a particular party or case. I find you to be highly effective at this difficult task.”

— Intellectual Property Partner at National Firm

"[Judge Jacobs-May], you have a fully educated and informed understanding of the scope of mediation techniques…Clients and lawyers first feel heard and understood, as humans and advocates. But this softer, understanding approach does not deter you from also being direct and firm…It is exceptionally rare to find a mediator who effectively utilizes techniques at both ends of the spectrum... and who is perceptive and attentive enough to assess where along the spectrum they are most likely to be effective with a particular party or case. I find you to be highly effective at this difficult task."

— Central Coast Trial Attorney

“Judge Jacobs May is one of the best mediators that I have ever used. She exceptional in every area […] and is able to utilize an array of mediation styles, and frequently uses multiple styles at appropriate times during a single mediation.”

— CA Agriculture Business Litigator
“She was fabulous at reading the parties, knowing their non-negotiable items, and she kept the discussions with the attorneys neutral and respectful.”

— Family Law Specialist Attorney
"Judge Jacobs-May is a miracle worker. I wish she mediated all of my cases."

— Greater Bay Area Litigator