Michelle Yoshida has been a full-time mediator, arbitrator, and special master since 2007 and she joins Phillips ADR Enterprises at its November 2014 inception.

As a neutral, Michelle has previously primarily worked with former Judge Daniel Weinstein and the Weinstein Team. She has been involved in successfully mediating and managing multi-party and multi-faceted cases, with an aggregate settlement value of billions of dollars, annually. She brings her comprehensive experience in ADR process design and mediation of issues in complex matters to Phillips ADR Enterprises.

She has been involved in the mediation of over five hundred disputes, involving a myriad of diverse matters, including financial and accounting cases, securities and derivative matters, insurance coverage, regulatory matters, professional liability, ERISA, and trustee issues. She is known for her ability to ascertain and comprehend legal and factual issues quickly, and she is particularly adept in managing large, complex ADR cases proficiently and objectively. She has been recognized for her resolute determination and equanimity in assisting the parties in evaluating and finding reasoned and practical solutions. Her cases have ranged from personal contractual disputes to multi-faceted disputes involving major NYSE and NASDAQ corporations.

Michelle has outstanding skills in building relationships of trust, candor, respect and productive interactions with mediation participants. Prior to becoming a neutral, Michelle was as a trial attorney in private practice, litigating complex business matters including contract, insurance coverage, intellectual property, real estate, regulatory and white collar matters. She also served as a Presidential Appointee, Legislative Director at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. She was General Counsel to the National Japanese American Citizens League from 2002 to 2012 and has participated in significant proceedings, in state court matters and to the U.S. Supreme Court. She received her juris doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law and her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Irvine.

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