Episodes

  • The Guru Squatter

    The Guru Squatter
    Feb 23 2026
    Season 06 Episode 06
    Phyllis W. Cheng, Esq., has excelled at every stage of her career, and for nearly seven years was Director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the largest state civil rights agency in the United States. In this episode, Phyllis relates the story behind a dispute involving a recovering addict, her father, and the guru who had helped the daughter achieve sobriety in exchange for free rent in a mansion owned by the very wealthy father, who had no knowledge of either the daughter’s addiction or the arrangement with the guru. Although he had performed no addiction-related services for more than seven years and lived in the mansion rent-free during that time, the guru claimed he was owed wages. How was Phyllis able to assist the parties to reach resolution?
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    48 mins
  • Cutting the Gordian Knot

    Cutting the Gordian Knot
    Feb 3 2026
    Season 06 Episode 05
    Lance A. LaBelle, Esq., is a highly regarded mediator. Prior to joining ADR Services, Inc., and before embarking on a career as a full-time neutral, he practiced law as an AV-rated attorney for over 30 years, handling a wide variety of matters and specializing in insurance cases. In this episode, Lance and Len Levy discuss a dispute involving a seriously injured fireman, an injured security guard, insurance claims, limited resources, and a multitude of other issues. Hear how master mediator Lance LaBelle was able to guide the parties through a process that resulted in a complete resolution by creatively utilizing a tool acquired through his many years of successfully mediating cases.
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    49 mins
  • The Case Without a Villain – Or Maybe Not

    The Case Without a Villain – Or Maybe Not
    Jan 19 2026
    Season 06 Episode 04
    Claudia Hagadus Long is one of the leading alternative dispute resolution neutrals in the Bay Area. An exceptionally skilled mediator, Ms. Long has mediated over 3000 cases and is currently a member of the ADR Services, Inc. panel of mediators. In her return visit to Masters of Dispute Resolution, this master storyteller and mediator shares a story of a caregiver hired to assist in the care of an elderly woman, entrusted with not only the care of the woman, but also provided with financial and personal support, suing the woman’s estate and her charge’s daughter for violations of the applicable wage and hour laws following the death of the woman.
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    53 mins
  • A Father’s Value

    A Father’s Value
    Jan 6 2026
    Season 06 Episode 03
    The Honorable Thomas L. Willhite, Jr., joined ADR Services, Inc. in February 2023 after a distinguished judicial career of more than 30 years, having served on the former Los Angeles Municipal Court, the Los Angeles Superior Court, and the California Court of Appeal. In this episode, Tom Willhite and Len Levy discuss the resolution of a wrongful death case concerning a father and husband who had served time in prison and had overcome mistakes he had made with the support of his family, who died after being struck on the head on the first day of a promising job. How did Tom Willhite, in his role of mediator, guide the parties to a settlement by overcoming significant monetary and emotional impediments standing in the way?
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    49 mins
  • Stepping on a Legal Landmine

    Stepping on a Legal Landmine
    Dec 13 2025
    Season 06 Episode 02
    Hon. David A. Rosen (Ret.) serves as a mediator and arbitrator at ADR Services, Inc., drawing on over forty years of experience in litigation, the judiciary, and alternative dispute resolution. In this episode, Judge Rosen joins Len to discuss the aftermath of a marital dissolution where an initial amicable agreement was derailed by changing circumstances and an attorney's failure to file a crucial document—with severe consequences. Judge Rosen's guidance in helping the parties find resolution offers important insights into the significance of a mediator’s credibility and subject matter expertise, especially in professional liability cases within family law.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Good Deeds

    Good Deeds
    Nov 29 2025
    Season 06 Episode 01
    For over 27 years, Lee Mendelson, Esq. has been at the forefront of civil litigation, advocating for clients in high-stakes disputes across a broad spectrum of legal matters and seeking to achieve resolution outside the courtroom—not through contentious trials, but through the art of negotiation. In this episode, Lee and Len discuss mediation of a dispute between a property owner and the property manager she employed over his alleged responsibility for damage to property the owner had inherited from her mother. Overcoming seemingly intractable positions was key to reaching a resolution. How was Lee able to help the parties not only resolve the litigated matter but also achieve something even more satisfying?
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    51 mins
  • Neighbors

    Neighbors
    Sep 6 2025
    Season 05 Episode 12
    Lee Jay Berman became a full-time Los Angeles mediator 30 years ago and has since mediated over 3,000 cases. He is an International Academy of Mediators’ Distinguished Fellow and a National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN) Charter Diplomate. In this episode, Lee Jay and Len discuss an escalating dispute between neighbors, owners of adjoining beach properties, which had devolved into issues and behaviors unrelated to the initial problem. Listen to one of the thought leaders in mediation, to whom other mediators have looked for guidance on how to change the dialogue of dispute into effective, problem-solving communication.
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    1 hr
  • Bullies

    Bullies
    Aug 12 2025
    Season 05 Episode 11
    Raphael Lapin brings an extensive and unique background to his practice as a mediator. He has not only mediated more than 1,000 litigated disputes, but he has also mediated across a variety of sectors, and taught conflict resolution at Southwestern Law School and Whittier Law School. In this episode, Raphael talks about a multi-party dispute involving a school district, three teenage girls, and their parents, arising from a bullying incident in which two of the girls physically attacked another girl as they participated in a school sports event, inflicting physical and emotional injuries. Resolution of the dispute resulted from the atypical approach employed by Mr. Lapin. What was that approach, and how was it implemented?
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    43 mins