Donald R. Bloss, Esq., PE

Mediator

Mr. Bloss has extensive experience resolving construction and construction defect, real estate, commercial, business, employment, personal injury, professional liability, contract, insurance, product liability, premises liability, emotional, complex, technical and other disputes, including numerous multi-party and other complex matters and has presided over and resolved hundreds of such disputes, most of which were already in litigation. As a highly-rated and successful mediator, Mr. Bloss is recognized for his calm mediation style and organized approach to complex, emotional and difficult disputes, his quick grasp of complicated issues, and his ability to bring closure to disputes thought to be unresolvable.

From 1999 until 2007, Mr. Bloss served as a mediator for all districts of the Los Angeles Superior Court. He was a member of the Construction and Real Estate mediation panel with Forum Dispute Management, then a part of National Arbitration Forum.

Legal Work History

Director of Litigation and Senior Counsel, Lewis Homes Management Corp., 1989-1999
As the Director of Litigation and Senior Counsel for this Fortune 400 development/construction company, then the largest privately-owned homebuilder in the United States (and a major retail, commercial and residential developer/builder/owner), Mr. Bloss directed all aspects of claims and litigation management and actively participated in all trials. Mr. Bloss directed and actively participated in the litigation, mediation and resolution of matters, including class actions, involving over 3000 residential housing units. Mr. Bloss was also responsible for all employment, insurance, construction contract, and various other legal matters, including transactional work impacting on these issues.

Executive Director, Associated General Contractors of California, Inc., 1986-1989
Mr. Bloss was selected as the first Southern California Executive Director of this trade association, the largest serving the non-residential construction industry, where he managed four district offices and their employees and oversaw local and regional membership, legal, legislative, labor, governmental and public relations and other issues.

Associate litigation attorney, Pachter Gold & Schaffer, Spray Gould & Bowers, Wilson Elser Edelman & Dicker, Kroll Edelman Elser & Wilson, 1978-1986
During his career as a litigator, Mr. Bloss represented individuals, businesses, insureds, insurers, general contractors, subcontractors, owners, developers, engineers, architects, employers, manufacturers, property owners and others in State and Federal Court litigation, including many complex, multi-party and technical matters.

Education

Southwestern University School of Law (Juris Doctor, 1977), American Jurisprudence Award – Evidence

University of Illinois, College of Engineering (B. S., 1971, Magna Cum Laude)

Purdue University, College of Engineering (Phi Eta Sigma, Dean’s Honor List)

Professional Licenses

Admitted to practice in California, 1977

Admitted to practice, United States District Court, 1978

Licensed Civil Engineer, California, 1975

Dispute Resolution Training

Mediator training, Dispute Resolution Services, Los Angeles County Bar Assn. (Certificate, 1998)

Advanced Business & Commercial Mediator training (Certificate, 2003)

Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution (2004)

Masterful Mediation of Complex Employment Cases (2004)

Additional training sessions and seminars detail upon request

Awards and Recognition

Rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell

Los Angeles County Superior Court Certificate of Appreciation

Certificate of Commendation from the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles

American Jurisprudence Award

Professional Associations, past and current

Southern California Mediation Association

Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution

Association for Conflict Resolution

California Dispute Resolution Council

Los Angeles County Bar Association

American Bar Association

State Bar of California

Other Professional Work History

Civil Engineer, Los Angeles County Flood Control District 1971-1978

Research Assistant, University of Illinois 1969-1970

Civil Engineering Technician, Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Ohio River Division

Laboratories, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1967-1969

Publications

“Winning Your Mediation by Effective Client Preparation” published as “Look Ahead” in Los Angeles Daily Journal Verdicts and Settlements Special ADR Issue, May 14, 1999

Community

Appointed by the Los Angeles City Council, Mr. Bloss served four years (1988-1992) as Chairman of a Specific Plan Citizens Advisory Committee, presiding over regularly scheduled public meetings and achieving, after contentious debate, unanimous consensus regarding hillside development standards. In recognition of his leadership contributions to the community and city and demonstrated dispute resolution skills, Mr. Bloss was presented with the Mayor’s Certificate of Commendation.

Mr. Bloss has also served as a Little League coach and as an elected member of local school councils.

Among many other interests and hobbies, Mr. Bloss is an award-winning photographer.

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