Pathway to Resolution
Preparation, Patience and Persistence
We had a business dispute that was headed to litigation. Eric turned it around. He spent 11 hours with us and was just as focused and reasoned in the 11th hour, as he was in the first. I was impressed with his ability to grasp both the legal and factual issues very quickly. His intelligence, approach, humor and stamina make for a 5-star rating!
- Suzanne Babb, Esq. – Berry & Babb, P.C (formerly of Beyers Costin Simon, P.C.)
I have had the pleasure of working with Eric several times as a mediator. Each case involved complex business issues and parties that were seemingly at an unreconcilable impasse. Despite this, Eric was able to quickly push through each party’s trivial positions and focus them on the crux of their dispute. He has an uncanny ability to work with counsel, as opposed to around them, to help educate the parties on the weakness as well as the strength of their positions. Most importantly, he can deftly navigate the emotional elements of the case, which are often the largest roadblock, and help each party accept compromise with dignity. Eric always comes prepared and is willing to work as long as necessary if the parties are making headway toward resolution. Quite simply, Eric is my go-to mediator based on the results he has produced when we have worked together. - Aaron Currie, Esq. - Welty, Weaver & Curry P.C.
After prior efforts to resolve our elder abuse case had failed, we were fortunate when the Court assigned Eric assigned to serve as our mediator. Eric’s wisdom, patience, logic, and quiet skills of persuasion helped both parties reach a resolution of a challenging case. - Robert F. Epstein & Robyn Christo - Epstein Holtzapple Christo LLP
You brought, and employed, all the needed tools to this mediation. By that I mean you provided appropriate measures of both constructive criticism of thin legal theories and related positions and validation of the emotions in the room. Most mediators (too many in fact that fancy themselves top shelf mediators) lack your command of these vitally important, related skills. To me, an effective mediator will tell a party (and the attorney) when he thinks a position or strategy is attenuated or worse, and do it deftly, in a way that doesn’t cut anyone off at the knees. At the same time – and this is the more delicate and too often overlooked skill, in my opinion – the foregoing valuable critique must be balanced by appropriate validation of some other aspect of a party’s overall position, especially if that party’s overall position entails a strong emotional reaction to being accused of doing something horrible as was the case with my clients. You did this masterfully. - Michael Villa, Esq. - Law offices of Michael Villa
Eric was assigned, by the Marin County Superior Court, the thorny task of settling a financial injury case in which the parties, one of which was represented by my firm, were far apart. He worked hard and often (sometimes on weekends) with us over the next several weeks to help us find common ground, resulting in resolution on the eve of trial. - Michael Molland, Esq. (Ret.) - Mollond Law
Mr. Sternberger went above and beyond the call of duty to settle a personal injury case . His knowledge of the factual and legal issues, his appreciation of the emotional undercurrents, and his determination to keep working, long after others would have quit - - brought the parties to common ground. He did an excellent job and I will recommend Mr. Sternberger’s mediation services at my next opportunity. - Howard R. Weber, Esq. - Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP (formally of Lewis Brisbois)