Lawrence A. Huerta is an experienced mediator and a seasoned litigator known for his energetic, positive approach, and tenacity in getting parties to resolve disputes. Among Mr. Huerta's distinguishing strategies for successful mediations are to provide a forum and process where parties have the opportunity to be heard and understood by each other, generating constructive options, and flexibility in the negotiation process. Other key components include diligent preparation, insuring settlement authority is present at mediation, and persistence.

Mr. Huerta graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and was admitted to the California Bar in 1983. He worked at major law firms in Southern California in business and real estate litigation before forming his own law firm specializing in commercial and real estate litigation in 1991. Mr. Huerta has been a mediator and an arbitrator for eleven years.

Mr. Huerta serves on the San Diego County Superior Court Mediation Panel, the Duke University Private Adjudication Center Mediation Panel ("DUPAC"), and the California Department of Insurance Mediation Panel. Mr. Huerta is a Mediator and Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, and a Mediator and Arbitration Chairperson for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and the New York Stock Exchange.

Mr. Huerta has mediated over 700 cases including over 350 employment cases. Mr. Huerta has mediated more than 20 cases around the country in the Martens v. Smith Barney sexual discrimination and harassment class action administered through DUPAC. His firm, Huerta & Associates has contracts to mediate employment and EEO disputes for the United States Forest Service, Navy, Postal Service, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Huerta & Associates is highly rated by Dun & Bradstreet for delivery of mediation services, and is an A.V. rated law firm by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Huerta is the author and presenter of the MCLE course "Why Mediation and What Works Well at Mediation" and published articles "Why Mediation?" and "The Value of Mediation".

Areas of Practice

• 85% Mediation
• 15% Arbitration

Litigation Percentage

• 5% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• California, 1983
• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1984
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1985
• U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1985
• U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1985
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1984

Education

• The University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  J.D.
  
  
• University of California, Davis, California
  B.A.
  Honors: With Honors
  Honors: Dean's List
  Major: Economics
  
  

Published Works

• "The Value of Mediation", Right of Way Magazine, Nov./Dec., 1998
• "Why Mediation?", SDEA Monthly, 1999
• "What Lawyers & Clients Look For in Commercial Mediation.", San Diego Daily Transcript April 28, 2008

Representative Cases

• RTC, et.al. v. Fleming, et.al., 40 Cal.App. 4th 53 (Ct. of Appeal 1995)

Representative Clients

• Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. - Litigation
• American Arbitration Association - Mediation and Arbitration

References

• Spencer Skeen, Esq., Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, LLP, San Diego, CA
• Fred James, Esq., Guevara, Phippard & James, San Diego, CA
• Erwin Shustak, Esq., Shustak, Frost & Partners

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Why Mediation Works & What Works Well at Mediation: Foley & Lardner, Heller Ehrman, San Diego County Bar Association, Orange County Bar Association, San Diego County Law Library Seminar Series, 2005 - 2008
• Developing a Labor & Employment Mediation Practice, ABA Dispute Resolution Section Annual Conference in New York, NY 2004
• Attorney's Role in Transformative Mediation Model, ABA Dispute Resolution Section Annual Conference, 2002
• Why Mediation Works & What Works Well at Mediation in Employment Cases, Labor & Employment section, San Diego County Bar Association, 2008

Honors and Awards

• Named one of three Access ADR Mediation Fellows in the Nation, 2005

Fraternities/Sororities

• Phi Delta Theta

Birth Information

• 1958, Harbor City, California, United States of America