Introduction
Alan spent over twenty years as a big firm litigator handling a variety of disputes from intake to trial. He has expertise in real estate, consumer finance, employment, and securities and has litigated a wide variety of complicated business disputes. Since 2018, Alan has been a full-time mediator. Always prepared, Alan resolves disputes relying upon problem-solving techniques drawn from his many years of litigating and trying cases. He uses both a facilitative and evaluative approach to narrow the issues and focus the parties on settlement.
Alan strongly believes that every case can and should be resolved. He works with the parties to find common ground and simplify the issues in dispute. He listens, evaluates, and, at times, cajoles the parties into settlement.
One attorney commented: “Alan is an excellent mediator who understands the psychology of the parties and arrives at a practical solution for all parties involved. He is very focused on problem-solving for both sides and knows how to reconcile the desires and needs of both parties that enter the process as adversaries.”
Practice Areas
- Business/Contractual
- Consumer Finance
- Employment
- Professional Negligence
- Real Estate
- Securities
Experience Summary
Drawing from more than two decades of legal experience, Alan has mediated and litigated a wide variety of cases.
Read More
Hobbies & Interests
Alan enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. An avid sports fan, he enjoys playing basketball and watching the Dodgers, Lakers and Rams.
Website
https://www.petlakmediation.com/
Experience Summary
BANKING/FINANCE
• Mediated numerous cases involving the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Truth in Lending Act, the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and other consumer finance-related cases.
• As a litigator, he represented numerous financial institutions in a wide variety of consumer finance-related cases.
• He served as an arbitrator in numerous arbitrations alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Truth in Lending Act, and the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices.
BUSINESS/CONTRACTUAL
• Mediated numerous cases involving unfair business practice, breach of contract, and fraud.
• Mediated partnership dispute regarding control over and disposition of a business.
• Mediated a sale of a business case involving the failure to disclose hazardous conditions in an overseas manufacturing facility.
CANNABIS
• Mediated a matter concerning ownership of a marijuana dispensary in West Hollywood, California.
• Mediated a matter concerning control over a retail license and seller’s permit to sell marijuana in California.
EMPLOYMENT
• Mediated a variety of wrongful termination/discrimination based on age, gender and race cases.
• Mediated a class action regarding failure to pay overtime and provide for meal and rest breaks.
LEMON LAW
• Mediated numerous cases alleging violations of the California Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.
MEDICAL & PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE
• Mediated dental malpractice cases involving dental work falling below the standard of care.
• Mediated medical malpractice cases involving injuries caused by alleged faulty medical care.
• Mediated attorney malpractice cases.
• Served as an arbitrator to an attorney malpractice claim involving the representation of a plaintiff in a lemon law-related matter.
• Mediated negligent cases involving real estate agents and other real estate professionals involving the failure to properly advise clients regarding inspection rights and disclosure issues.
PROBATE
• Mediated matter between six siblings concerning the division of inherited property involving a multi-million dollar estate.
REAL ESTATE
• Mediated numerous land-tenant commercial lease disputes.
• Mediated numerous failures to disclose cases involving the sale and disposition of both commercial and residential property.
• Mediated partnership disputes regarding the management, development, and disposition of large commercial properties.
• As a litigator, he tried a nine-figure partnership dispute regarding the proposed development of large office buildings and mixed-use facilities in Hollywood, California.
• Mediated numerous real estate brokerage disputes regarding the right to and the amount of real property sales commissions.
• Litigated one of the largest real estate commission cases in California.
• Mediated numerous landlord/tenant disputes regarding habitability issues and failure to pay rent.
• Mediated numerous construction defect matters involving both commercial and residential properties.
• Mediated numerous mechanics lien and equitable lien cases involving lenders, contractors, and subcontractors.
• Mediated numerous deposit cases involving the sale of residential and commercial property.
• Mediated numerous lender-borrower disputes with respect to residential and commercial properties in default.
SECURITIES
• Mediated numerous cases involving the failure of a securities broker to recommend suitable investments.
• Mediated securities fraud case involving the failure to disclose the risks associated with option trading.
• As a litigator, he litigated 10b-5 securities class action lawsuits in the United States District Court, Central District of California and the Southern District of California.
• He litigated a securities fraud lawsuit regarding the sale of a business in the Southern District of New York.
• He served as a FINRA arbitrator in disputes involving securities broker-dealers.
TRADE SECRETS
• Mediated numerous trade secret misappropriation cases.
• As a litigator, he litigated a number of discrimination and trade secret misappropriation cases.
