Matt White

• Mediation of a Commercial Code claim by a vodka producer alleging that a vendor supplied defective bottle caps
• Mediation of a collection dispute between a chain store franchisor and franchisee over unpaid monthly payments and breached obligations
• Fraud action brought by a national insurer against a California auto parts retailer, alleging systematic overcharges
• Mediation of a claim that a partner unlawfully ousted the plaintiff from a lucrative restaurant business, including allegations of defamation and real estate fraud
• Mediation of a lawsuit by the owner of a custom-built yacht who sued a repair facility for damage to the boat; facility filed a counterclaim for unpaid repair costs and storage
• Discovery referee in post-judgment collection proceedings involving demands for debtor’s tax returns, premarital agreement and residential lease
• Five separate reports as the discovery referee in a case brought by an investor claiming that a company owner breached a promise to pay the investor with a share of the business and that the owner should have disclosed that he had been convicted of a felony in a foreign country

• Wage and hour dispute involving customer service representatives alleging misclassification as independent contractors by an online retailer
• Mediation of an appeal of the Labor Commissioner’s award of back pay and penalties to a handyperson who worked for a fast food franchisee; the case turned on whether the worker was an employee or independent contractor under the “ABC” test of the Dynamex case
• Mediation of an employment lawsuit brought by a municipal worker who alleged age discrimination, constructive wrongful termination and failure to accommodate
• Mediation of an employment contract dispute between a former account manager and his international corporate employer; the manager asserted the company denied earned bonuses, failed to pay wages due and falsely accused him of wrongdoing

• Mediation of a trust dispute in which a father amended his trust shortly before death to leave all assets to his daughter; his son sued to invalidate the amendment, alleging undue influence and conversion
• Court-appointed discovery referee in a trust dispute involving a motion to quash medical subpoenas, extensive requests for electronically stored information (ESI) and a privilege log

• Arbitration of a personal injury case brought by a firefighter who suffered serious burns as a result of “fire cupping,” a traditional Chinese medical technique
• Arbitration of an uninsured motorist case following a multi-vehicle car crash that resulted in a traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as injuries to the claimant’s neck and shoulder
• Mediation of a personal injury case involving an attack by a wild bison at an outdoor recreation facility, causing a camper to sustain numerous spinal fractures and internal bleeding
• Mediation of a disputed liability automobile accident claim involving significant personal injuries and emotional distress
• Mediation of a case in which a pedestrian was attacked and bitten by a dog on a city sidewalk while under the control of a professional dog walker
• Mediation of a personal injury claim arising when an intoxicated local celebrity crashed his luxury sports car into the plaintiff’s vehicle
• Wrongful death action brought by the family of a young woman arising from a high-speed collision with a grocery delivery truck
• Underinsured motorist arbitration involving a serious motor vehicle accident and alleged irreversible systemic nerve injury
• Motor vehicle accident in which a delivery truck crossed the center divider on a mountain roadway and struck a car being driven by a high school student, resulting in neurological and spinal injuries and a subsequent Chiari malformation diagnosis
• Motor vehicle matter involving a minor rear-end collision that, in combination with prior accidents, resulted in total disability
• Uninsured motorist claim for an auto passenger injured by a minimally insured driver, resulting in chronic spinal pain and complications affecting a recent surgical procedure
• Personal injury claim brought by an elderly woman injured by an uncontrolled dog on a recreational trail, resulting in a hip fracture and cognitive decline
• Developmentally disabled teenager attacked and bitten by a dog while volunteering at an animal shelter
• Carbon monoxide exposure case brought by a residential tenant alleging the disabling of an alarm that resulted in a severe brain injury

Premises Liability

• Claim of an autistic elementary school student who sustained a traumatic brain injury following a fall from playground equipment due to inadequate supervision
• Premises liability matter involving a luxury resort guest who tripped on a dark, uneven driveway and sustained a permanent loss of hand mobility and grip strength
• Premises liability claim arising from a slip-and-fall on a wet condominium lobby floor, resulting in severe arm and wrist lacerations from a shattered wine bottle

 Elder Abuse

• Elder abuse action against a skilled nursing facility due to delay in diagnosing a fractured femur, resulting in permanent immobility
• Mediation of claim against senior independent residential community alleging elder abuse, unfair business practices and battery arising from severe neglect, including bedbug infestation
• Elder abuse lawsuit against a privately owned skilled nursing facility; failure to prevent pressure sores resulted in amputation of the plaintiff's legs

• Federal action involving allegations that a mediator conspired with counsel, insurers and judges to cover up an adjuster’s purported absence at a state court mediation
• Lawsuit for legal malpractice against a personal injury attorney who failed to file a complaint before the statute of limitations expired, then claimed he had lost the client's file
• Mediation of a client’s malpractice claim against his accountant for negligent preparation of the client's business tax returns

• Mediation of a real estate matter where the buyer of real property claimed that the seller had failed to disclose significant problems with the property, including construction defects and water damage
• Mediation of a tree dispute in which elderly homeowners sued absentee owners and arborist, who cut plaintiffs’ trees without permission
• Mediation of a lawsuit brought by a homeowner against a real estate agent for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, fraud and retaliation arising out of a breached listing and purchase agreements
• Arbitration involving a dispute over a real estate sales agreement, including a demand for specific performance of a lot line adjustment and the seller’s failure to disclose significant soil instability and drainage issues
• Mediation of a real property dispute over a claim that a neighbor’s construction project caused water diversion and property damage; the plaintiff’s claim included a request for attorneys’ fees under the California Private Attorneys General Act