JOHN THOMAS McDOWELL
McDowell Mediation
1217 Wilshire Boulevard, # 3201
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 413-3714
E-mail: John@McDowellmediation.com
EDUCATION
Pepperdine University School of Law
Juris Doctor, cum laude, 1987, Class Standing: top 10%
Law Review Literary Editor. Dean's Honor List 1984-1987
Am. Jur. Award in Community Property
Pepperdine Moot Court semi-finalist, 1987
University of California, Berkeley
B.A., with honors, 1983
MEDIATION TRAINING
Pepperdine University School of Law
Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
Mediating the Litigated Case
Professional Skills Program
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Mediator Training Program (120 hours)
U.S. District Court - Central District of California
Mediator Training Program
Southern California Mediation Association
Employment Institute
Annual Fall Conference
Annual Fall Conference – Advanced Track
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Center for Civil Mediation
Advanced Mediation Skills Practicum
MEDIATION ASSOCIATIONS AND PANELS
United States District Court mediation program, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission mediation program, Ventura County Superior Court, California Academy of Mediation Professionals, Center for Conflict Resolution, Southern California Mediation Association
MEDIATION/ EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
McDowell Mediation
Mediator (2013 to present)
Mediation of employment discrimination (race, national origin, age, gender, disability), retaliation, harassment, wage & hour, Americans with Disabilities Act, personal injury, professional negligence, breach of contract, unlawful detainer, and civil harassment claims.
Gordon & Rees, LLP, SNR Denton US LLP, Los Angeles, California
Senior Counsel/Attorney (2012 to 2013)
Labor & employment litigation on behalf of management and commercial litigation. Experience included wrongful termination, discrimination, wage & hour, trade secret, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, covenant not to compete and ERISA litigation in state and federal courts, drafting motions, arguing motions, preparing and responding to written discovery, attending mediation, negotiation, workplace investigation and counseling clients.
Cohon & Pollak, LLP, Los Angeles, California
Of Counsel (2009 to 2011)
Labor & employment and personal injury litigation on behalf of plaintiffs and management and commercial litigation. Experience included employment discrimination, wage & hour, personal injury, breach of contract, fraud and commercial litigation in state and federal courts, wage & hour jury trial second chair, preparing cases for trial, drafting motions, arguing motions, preparing and responding to written discovery, conducting and defending depositions, attending mediation, negotiation, workplace investigation and counseling clients.
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Los Angeles, California
House Counsel/Employment Practices and Directors & Officers
Claims Examiner (2000 to 2009)
Labor & employment and personal injury litigation on behalf of Chubb Group Insureds as House Counsel at Bragg & Kuluva from 2000 to 2001. Employment Practices and D&O Claims Examiner from 2001 to 2009. Experience included personal injury, products liability, commercial and employment litigation in state and federal courts, investigating and evaluating employment and D&O claims, attending mediation, negotiation, resolving cases, evaluating insurance coverage and preparing coverage letters.
Law Offices of John T. McDowell, Santa Monica, California
Attorney (1999 to 2000)
Commercial litigation on behalf of plaintiffs and labor & employment litigation on behalf of management. Experience included drafting motions and other pleadings, including motions for summary judgment, and arguing motions. Retained as counsel to assist various law firms in commercial litigation on behalf of plaintiffs and employment litigation on behalf of management.
Sempra Energy (Pacific Enterprises and Southern California Gas Company) Los Angeles, California
Attorney (1995 to 1999)
Labor & employment litigation on behalf of Fortune 500 company. Varied employment matters, including those involving the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, California Fair Employment & Housing Act, Family Medical Leave Act, breach of contract, fraud and defamation. Experience included counseling clients, attending mediation, negotiation and resolving potential litigation, investigation of employee complaints and litigation in state and federal courts. Litigation included trial preparation, drafting motions and other pleadings, including successful summary judgment motions, arguing motions, drafting discovery and drafting appellate briefs, appellate argument.
Law Offices of John T. McDowell; O'Donnell & Mandell; Masters & Ribakoff, Santa Monica, CA
Attorney/Associate (1993 to 1996)
Labor & employment litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. Experience included jury trial, trial preparation, attending mediation, drafting motions and other pleadings, arguing motions, drafting discovery and demand letters, taking depositions, negotiation, workplace investigation and counseling clients. Retained as counsel to assist Henry & Tenner, Law Offices of Nancy Bornn, Barboza & Associates, and Law Offices of Stefan Mason in employment litigation on behalf of plaintiffs.
Ballard, Rosenberg & Golper, Universal City, CA
Associate (1990 to 1993)
Labor & employment litigation on behalf of management; business litigation. Experience included extensive client counseling, drafting and arguing motions, conducting depositions, drafting NLRB and EEOC position statements, drafting research memoranda and discovery, attending mediation, investigating employee complaints, preparing cases for trial and attending trial as second chair.
Gartner & Young, Los Angeles, CA
Associate (1989-1990)
Labor & employment litigation on behalf of management. Experience including drafting and arguing motions, drafting research memoranda, discovery and arbitration briefs, conducting depositions, counseling clients, attending mediation and preparing cases for trial.
Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, Los Angeles, CA
Associate (1987-1989)
Labor and insurance departments. Experience included drafting and arguing motions, drafting research memoranda, writs, appellate briefs and discovery, conducting depositions, conducting workplace investigations, counseling clients and preparing cases for trial.
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Los Angeles, CA
Judge Stephen Reinhardt
Judicial Extern (1985-1986)
PUBLISHED OPINION
Nishimoto v. Federman-Bachrach & Assoc.,
903 F.2d 709 (9th Cir. 1990)
UNPUBLISHED OPINION
Jahelka v. Southern California Gas Company,
122 F. 3rd 1071 (9th Cir. 1997)
BAR MEMBERSHIP
California State Bar, 1987; U.S. District Court: All California Districts, 1988; U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, 1988; U.S. Supreme Court 1992