ADR Training

Mediation

After completing advanced mediation training at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution in 2009, Lori Sanford immersed herself in the world of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). She eagerly accepted every court-ordered mediation assignment, quickly earning recognition from the Court as a “Top Ten” Mediator for Court ordered mediations.

In 2009, Lori was invited to serve as the volunteer administrator of the First Friday Volunteer Settlement Conference Program, a court-sponsored initiative where she had previously volunteered as a settlement facilitator. In this role, she managed settlement conferences when judges were unavailable and assigned cases to volunteer panelists. After 15 years of dedicated service, Lori stepped down from this beloved volunteer role in 2024 but continues to accept volunteer assignments.

This hands-on, “in the trenches” experience, combined with ongoing advanced mediation training, has honed Lori’s mediation skills and contributed to her exceptional resolution rate.

Arbitration

In 2019, Lori became a panelist with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) after completing extensive training to qualify for this role. As she began receiving assignments in consumer, commercial, healthcare, and employment disputes, Lori committed herself to in-depth study of arbitration best practices. She focused on resolving disputes involving challenging counsel and promoting economical, efficient hearings.

Course List

  • 3/27/25 – 3/29/25: AAA Panel Conference in Dallas, Texas
  • 1/31/25: State of the Court 2025
  • 1/22/25: Attorney-Client Ethics
  • 11/20/24: Effective Use of Generative AI in the Practice of Law
  • 10/10/24: Awarding Attorney Fees, Costs, and Interest in Arbitration
  • 10/7/24: Playing Fair and Playing it Safe
  • 9/25/24: Achieving and Reconciling the Goals of Efficiency, Expedience and Fairness
  • 9/19/24: Consumer Panel Solar Roundtable
  • 9/6/24: Supreme Court Update 2024
  • 4/26/24: Disclosure Dynamics in Arbitration
  • 4/18/24: Healthcare Panel: Presenting an Efficient Case for In-Person or Virtual Hearings
  • 4/16/24: Judicial Panel: Ethics of Technology and the Law
  • 3/19/24: 60 Minutes of Bias
  • 3/5/24: Discovery in Commerical Arbitration: JAMS, AAA, FAA, and State Rules
  • 1/12/24: State of the Court 2024
  • 10/26/23: 23rd Annual Constitutional Law Forum
  • 11/16/23: Employment Mock Hearing Webinar
  • 10/11/23: Ensuring Impartiality: Arbitrator Disclosure and Disqualification under FAA and California Law
  • 9/13/23: A Practical Approach to Handling Evidentiary Objections in Arbitration
  • 7/20/23: Campaign for Greener Arbitrations
  • 5/25/23: The Dependent Independant Arbitrator
  • 5/16/23: Litigation and Civility: The Court’s Perspective
  • 5/11/23: Practical Strategies for Improving Chances of Resolution
  • 3/24/23 – 3/25/23: AAA Panel Conference in Rancho Mirage, California
  • 3/23/23: Best Practices for Arbitration Efficiency
  • 2/14/23: Annual ADR Case Update 2023
  • 1/18/23: Dealing with Difficult Counsel, Parties, and Witnesses
  • 1/13/23: State of the Court 2023
  • 1/10/23: Implicit Bias in the Courtroom
  • 11/16/22: Evidence and Evidentiary Objections in Arbitration
  • 10/12/22: Awarding Attorneys Fees, Costs and Interest in Arbitrations
  • 7/20/22: Introduction to the Preliminary Hearing Reference Tool
  • 5/25/22: Mass Arbitrations from the Arbitrator’s Perspective
  • 4/13/22: Vacation of Arbitration Awards under CCP 1286.2(5)
  • 3/9/22: First Friday Panel Recruitment and Advanced Negotiation Skills Training
  • 2/2/22: Annual ADR Case Update 2022
  • 1/19/22: Best Practices for Arbitrating Technology Disputes
  • 1/12/22: Process Essentials for AAA Arbitrators
  • 1/6/22: Mediation and Arbitration of Disputes Arising Under the California RPA
  • 2/4/21: Attorney’s Fee Awards: The Tail that Often Wags the Dog
  • 11/17/21: Partial Final, Interim and Corrected Awards
  • 10/13/21: Unconscionable Arbitration Clauses
  • 9/15/21: Presenting an Efficient Case for In-Person or Virtual Hearings
  • 9/8/21: Arbitration Efficiencies
  • 8/4/21: International v. Domestic Arbitration
  • 6/16/21: The Interplay of Implicit Bias and Access to Technology – Lessons from the Pandemic
  • 5/26/21: Managing Cases with Important Expert Testimony
  • 4/12/21: Five Keys to Mediating with Power
  • 2/17/21: Dispute Prevention: From Reaction to Proaction
  • 2/10/21: Impartiality: Do you Know What Your Biases Are?
  • 1/15/21: Implicit Bias: Say What? That’s Shocking
  • 1/2/21: Best Practices for Arbitrators in Expedited/Fast Track Arbitrations
  • 12/16/20: What Were They Thinking: How Judges, Juries, Arbitrators (and Lawyers) Really Make Decisions
  • 11/18/20: Managing Arbitration Discovery to Preserve the Benefits of Arbitration
  • 11/16/20: Arbitrating and Mediating in the New Normal: Lessons Learned & Best Practices for Litigators
  • 11/12/20: Zoom Arbitration: Don’t Get Caught with your Pants Down
  • 10/13/20: Mediation: Knowing When to Hold’Em (Trial) vs. Fold ‘Em (Settle)
  • 9/17/20: Becoming a Fee Arbitrator
  • 9/16/20: Dispositive Motions Practice in Arbitration
  • 9/14/20: Mediation of Disputes Arising under the C.A.R. Real Estate Purchase Agreement
  • 9/8/20: The Nuts and Bolts of an Arbitration Hearing: Procedure, Evidence and Practicalities
  • 6/30/20: Character Evidence
  • 6/29/20: Complex Technology and eDiscovery Disputes during Covid-19
  • 5/15/20: Making Complex Litigation Simple for Trial
  • 4/17/20: Conducting Effective Dispute Resolution with Remote Technology
  • 3/31/20: Technology and Online Dispute Resolution Tools
  • 2/18/20: The Psychology of Settlement
  • 9/26/19 and 9/27/19: Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New AAA Arbitrators – Two full days training at the American Arbitration Association offices in Los Angeles
  • 2/15/19: State of the Court 2019