|
||||||
|
From San Diego, former President of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, says: "Rob has the patience of Job, the judgment of Solomon and the persistence of the Devil. "
"Rob is definitely the best mediator I have ever used . . . Very personable, very smart, very aggressive without shouting or offending. Doesn’t give up. No wasting time.
"I have had the pleasure of working with Rob Kaplan as a mediator on one of my more difficult and very contentious coverage matters. When the mediation commenced, the parties were millions of dollars apart. Although we did not resolve the case at mediation, it was settled shortly thereafter due primarily to Rob's insight and persistence. Rob is probably one of the most insightful, creative, and hard-working mediators I have ever had the pleasure of working with."
"I can't say enough about Robert Kaplan's mediation skills. I expect a mediator to be tireless. I expect a mediator to be prepared. I expect a mediator to challenge the evidence and legal reasoning of both sides. . . I've experienced some, but not all, of those attributes in past mediations, but ALL of those attributes in the mediation with Robert Kaplan."
"Rob has extraordinary intuition. He raises the creativity bar in the dispute resolution process to new heights."
An individual defendant in a contentious Wrongful Termination employment case, wrote the following:
"Rob got us to a place I know we couldn't have gotten to on our own. "
"Rob, I just wanted to thank you very much for a job well done. You worked really hard yesterday to get this case resolved and I know it was no easy task. . . There was one point in the later afternoon (around 4:00 p.m.) when I started having some serious doubts about this case actually settling. . . How dare me!"
"When we began this mediation I thought there was a 10-20 percent chance of this case settling... Rob's grasp of the substantive law played a critical factor in assisting us in evaluating the case. But, the mastery really came from his intuitive sense and credibility that was essential if the parties were going to compromise their self-perceived value of the case."
Defense counsel in a Wage & Hour Class Action says:
Hi Rob - I cannot thank you enough for your assistance; you truly are a miracle worker. You are on my permanent short list of mediators!
"I had a contentious [sexual assault] case with multiple defendants, complex coverage issues, liability disputes, and an exceptionally disturbed, irrational plaintiff with unreasonable expectations. I figured it was going to trial. . . . Rob pushed all the right buttons. He listened, he perceived the obstacles to resolution, he candidly shared personal experiences with the plaintiff to develop rapport and then he relentlessly did everything necessary to achieve settlement. His services were a bargain. In the jargon of car salespersons, he is truly a 'closer.'"
"I believe Rob's insight, professionalism and neutrality was outstanding and produced a result simply not obtainable prior to his participation."
You should know that the person representing the insurance company (who is a very experienced attorney) was extremely impressed as well. You started off by demonstrating that you read and understood the briefs, and honed right in on the key issue. He was also impressed by your assessment of this matter and your creativity in getting the deal done. Of course, none of this is news to me!
"I represented the [seriously brain damaged] plaintiff in the mediation which began as scheduled at 9:00 a.m. [and] concluded at 11:00 p.m.! There were several parties, numerous attorneys, insurance adjusters, etc. Ultimately, through Rob's Herculean efforts, settlement was reached that was in the best interests of all concerned. . . I have participated in many mediations, with various mediators over the years. This is the first time that I have ever prepared and sent an unsolicited letter at the conclusion of a mediation."
"Rob, you did a great job on a difficult case and I am spreading the word. . . . I look forward to working together again on future cases. You set the bar high!"
"Dear Rob: Thanks for your hard work. I've already told my associates in the office to put you on our list of "go to" mediators."
"Rob's skills in dealing with the "human dynamic" were, in my view, solely responsible for the parties [in my case] being able to resolve this litigation."
A plaintiff's attorney from Pasadena, in a legal malpractice case arising out of a medical malpractice case, says: Dear Rob: I wanted to thank you again for your persistence in resolving our case. We had been to five previous settlement conferences and had never gotten close to a settlement before we came to you. This case involved a stubborn doctor, a dying plaintiff, an angry wife, and one very angry law firm. I take my hat off to you for the unique manner in which you effected settlement of the most difficult case I can remember being involved in. Congratulations - and thank you!
Rob - I just want to express my appreciation for your mediation services last Tuesday with respect to [our multi-million dollar dispute.] You were one of the most effective mediators I’ve experienced and I’ve been through quite a few mediations as an in-house attorney. We are thankful to have this matter behind us and again, appreciative of your effective services.
A partner in a firm with offices on the East and West Coasts says:
Dear Rob: I just wanted to thank you for your superb work in bringing about a settlement in the [ X,Y,Z ] matter. I've been doing this 30 years, and I've never seen a more diligent effort to follow up, bring two poles-apart sides together, and then make sure the deal is closed. After the initial mediation session MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, it was your regular phone calls that kept settlement on the radar screens of parties who thought trial was inevitable. Then, as trial approached, your telephonic shuttle diplomacy brokered a deal that would have been impossible otherwise. The deal was fair to both sides -- everybody owes you a huge debt of gratitude. Thanks again!
Thank you for your energy and expertise. The energy and zeal that you bring to your work is refreshing. Rarely have I observed a professional with your experience and acumen who still has an excitement for even a small mediation like ours. I appreciate your making yourself available to mediate some less substantial matters. As you are aware they are not considered small by our clients.
A partner from an Orange County firm (which has obtained some of the largest settlements and verdicts in the country) says:
Rob: Thank you again for your hard work in getting this settlement done. I was especially impressed by your follow up negotiations weeks after the mediation was done. So many mediators simply give up or just go through the motions after the mediation day (figuring they have earned their pay already; also, they are “retired”). I really appreciate your sincere effort and follow-up. Also, as always, your expertise in insurance law and insurance issues is second to none. Again, that is a very rare commodity in the ADR world, where virtually all neutrals lack substantive knowledge in the key area (for settlement purposes) of insurance law. Thanks again. I look forward to working with you again in the near future.
From Claremont, a plaintiffs' lawyer says:
Hi, Rob. I heard a very nice compliment about you this morning – one that deserved to be passed on to you. I was on the phone with [my client's in-house attorney], who was telling me about mediating a UK case [involving her company] in Thanks again for all your help with our cases!
From Los Angeles, defense counsel says:
Rob: Thanks for all of your efforts. Between these two XYZ matters you’ve really impressed with your ability to see things through to conclusion. I appreciate your talent and I know XYZ does as well. These were not easy cases. They were an especially bitter pill for XYZ. Nevertheless, you really kept the momentum going. Kudos.
A plaintiff (blind from birth) sent the following letter :
Dear Mr. Kaplan: I am writing to thank you for the important role you played as Mediator in my case... Because of your assistance in settling my case, I feel more secure about my financial condition into the future... Because of your assistance in these negotiations, a major source of stress has been eliminated from my life. With less stress, my body will, I fervently hope, be able to heal faster. I thought you might be interested in seeing something in Braille, so I am enclosing a copy of this letter in Braille. The Braille and print copies say exactly the same thing. Mr. Kaplan, my attorneys told me you worked really hard on this case. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.
"Our recent mediation with Robert J. Kaplan, Esq. involved five civil cases from various states and federal court districts. And a divorce action. And administrative proceedings. And parties with intensely powerful emotional investments who were asserting purportedly principal 'money is no object' contentions on all sides.
|
||||||
First-Hand Impressions of 
