Retired from the Superior Court in 1999, Judge Lewis brings over 20 years experience as a general trial judge in Sacramento, California. His assignments included presiding judge of the appellate department, full-time civil law and motion calendars and full-time civil settlement conferences. He brings to mediation a unique combination of judicial insight and authority, formal mediation training, keen listening skills and an empathic personality that allows him to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. He has been particularly successful in resolving cases involving employment law, trusts and probate, real estate, construction, personal injury, products liability, professional malpractice, and business.

JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE

Judge Lewis was elected in 1979 and quickly established himself as an impartial and astute judge of civil law. As Supervising Settlement Judge he conducted or supervised over 2,000 settlement conferences encompassing all areas of civil law. His settlement efforts resulted in his being named 1998 Judge of the Year by the Sacramento Consumer Attorneys.

ADR EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

His devotion to Alternative Dispute Resolution is widely recognized. He was selected as 1999 Peacemaker of the Year by a consortium of seven organizations that promote ADR. He produced Saturday seminars on facilitative mediation techniques for Sacramento's pro tem settlement judges. The Sacramento County Bar Association has published material written by Judge Lewis regarding how attorneys and clients should prepare for a mediation. He has completed the following mediation courses: Mediator Communication Skills (Tony Roffers, Ph.D.), Advanced Settlement Techniques (John B. Bates, Jr. of Jams/Endispute), Advanced Mediation Techniques, Specialized Mediation and the Master’s Forum (Pepperdine University), Litigation Risk Analysis (Mark Victor), and Advanced Mediator Training (Steven Rosenberg). He completed, and has served as faculty assistant for, the Civil Mediation Course (National Judicial College, University of Nevada, Reno). Additionally, he has been a panelist for the Master's Forum (Pepperdine U.) and for the Retired Judges Conference of the California Judges Association.

EDUCATION

• J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, 1972
• M.B.A., California State University, Sacramento, 1967
• B.A., University of the Pacific, Stockton, 1965

FACILITIES

His place or yours. The judge's office and conference rooms are easy to reach, only minutes from downtown Sacramento and highways 5, 50, 80 and 99. Free parking is abundant. Restaurants and coffee shops are nearby.