curriculum vitae

Susan W. Garrett Finster, Esq.

Professional employment

2008-Present	Sharp Resolutions, Inc., San Diego, CA Mediator, Facilitator, Trainer and Conflict Coach Panelist providing a variety of conflict resolution services for schools, communities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals
2013-Present	California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA Assistant Dean for Student & Diversity Services Oversees all aspects of student services for the law school. Responsibilities include: academic support and counseling; compliance with ADA and Title IX regulations; student retention; diversity support and programming; and, supervision of all student organizations/government
2002-2013	Mediation Office of Susan W. Garrett Finster, San Diego, CA Mediator and Attorney at Law Developed and manage private mediation, facilitation and training practice. Specialize in mediating resolving civil disputes including contract, business partnerships, personal injury, financial services, professional negligence, construction, and employment related actions. Additionally, facilitate large group consensus building for public and private industry and trains in the fields of mediation and facilitation
2002-2013	California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA Adjunct Professor of Law–STEPPS, Advanced Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Course instructor for entry-level curriculum on alternative dispute resolution processes including negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Also co-instructor in course for Advanced Mediation skills. Advanced course training emphasizes hands-on practice of advanced conflict resolution techniques used in facilitation and mediation. Students in the course mediate cases in Small Claims court and Juvenile Hall as part of the curriculum. Created specialized advanced skills training in re-framing, caucus, bias, communication techniques, difficult disputants, and cultural issues
2005-2009	State of California, Office of Administrative Hearings, San Diego, CA Administrative Law Judge Pro Tem Mediated Special Education and Department of Disability Services matters between Southern California school districts and parents of children with special needs. Served as pro tempore Administrative Law Judge in quasi-judicial hearings and render proposed or final decisions in matters adjudicated by OAH for various State or other agencies, including the issuance, renewal, suspension, or revocation or licenses
2005-2008	United States Air Force/Centre Consulting Group, San Diego, CA Trainer-NSPS Course instructor for one-day NSPS training for U.S. Air Force personnel. Course taught interest-based dispute resolution skills and techniques as foundational components necessary for successful implementation of NSPS. Required facilitation of large and small group discussion, role-plays and skill based exercises as well as demonstrating core concepts and techniques of interest-based negotiation to civilian contractors
2002-2006	South Bay Division of the San Diego Superior Court, San Diego, CA Director of South Bay Small Claims Mediation Program Supervised law students from California Western School of Law and Thomas Jefferson School of Law at the South County Division Small Claims Court. Responsible for management of program, training of students in Small Claims Mediation Model and skills, coordination of students and communication with Court. Also performed hundreds of Small Claim mediations when students not in attendance

Education

	California Western School Of Law Juris Doctorate
	University Of California, San Diego Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Minors in Spanish Literature and Political Science

professional experience | Legal

Law Office of Susan W. Garrett Finster
Mediator and Attorney at Law (1998-2002)
Practice included contract attorney services to civil litigation firms with clientele ranging from plaintiff’s personal injury and employment to business litigation, business transactional and construction defect defense. Drafted all types of legal briefs, reports, written discovery; conducted depositions and appeared in court in full range of civil hearings.

Hurst & Hurst
Mediator and Associate Attorney (1997)
Managed, prepared and coordinated civil actions in premier civil litigation firm specializing in tort actions for both plaintiff and defense clients. Coordinated and prepared cases for arbitration and/or trial.

McAdam, Fegley & Watson
Mediator and Associate Attorney (1996-1997)
Handled dynamic case load for active civil litigation practice focused in the defense of subcontractors in construction defect cases. Responsible for preparing, coordinating, managing and performing all phases of civil litigation from initial client retention through trial preparation.

Law Offices Of Robert S. Kilborne
Attorney at Law and Mediator (1992-1996)
Associate attorney for plaintiff’s tort firm specializing in personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful termination, insurance bad faith, and multiple party tort actions. Handled full range of client interaction from initial interviews to deposition and trial preparation.

professional experience | dispute resolution/Mediation training

Dispute Resolution Office-San Diego City Attorney (1991)
Mediation, Conciliation and Negotiation Skills Training focusing on criminal mediations.
San Diego Mediation Center (currently National Conflict Resolution Center) (1994
Basic Mediation Skills Training in Community Dispute Resolution Model.
Victim Offender Reconciliation Project (1995)
Three-day training in VORP model.
United States Air Force/Centre Consulting Group (2005-2008)
Course instructor for one-day NSPS training for U.S. Air Force personnel. Course taught interest-based dispute resolution skills and techniques as foundational components necessary for successful implementation of NSPS. Required facilitation of large and small group discussion, role-plays and skill based exercises as well as demonstrating core concepts and techniques of interest-based negotiation to civilian contractors.
South Bay Division of the San Diego Superior Court (2002-2006)
Director of South Bay Small Claims Mediation Program. Supervised law students from California Western School of Law and Thomas Jefferson School of Law at the South County Division Small Claims Court. Responsible for management of program, training of students in Small Claims Mediation Model and skills, coordination of students and communication with Court. Also performed hundreds of Small Claim mediations when students not in attendance.
Guest Speaker, Mediation Skills Workshop, Mediation Offices of Gregg Reylea (2003)
Trainer, Bridge Mediation, 40 Hour Mediation Training (2003-2004)
Small Claims Mediation Training (2003-2004)
Guest Speaker, Facilitation, ACR-San Diego Monthly Meeting (2004)
Moderator, “The Business of Mediation,” Thomas Jefferson School of Law (2004)
Panelist/Facilitator, Mediation for Real Estate, First American Title (2005)
Panelist/Facilitator, Mediation for Real Estate, Commonwealth Title (2005)
Featured Panelist, Advanced Mediation Skills, “Impasse” INTA Annual Conference, Chicago (2007)
Trainer, USAF, NSPS Manager Training, Onizuka A.F.B.,Sunnyvale, CA (2007)
Trainer, Communication Skills, Grant K-8 School, San Diego Unified (2010)
Guest Speaker, Advanced Mediation, “The Art of Caucus,”California Western School of Law (2010)

Professional associations

State Bar of California
San Diego County Bar, Member ADR Section
Lawyers Club of San Diego
The Thursday Club

Professional licenses

State Bar of California, December 1992 (State Bar No. 163092)