John Anselm Skelton, Jr

1975, California

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law. Graduate: Harvard Mediation Program, Harvard University School of Law; ABA National Institute, Advanced Mediation and Advocacy Skills Training. Member, Mediation Panel, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. Mediator Jack Skelton combines a unique mix of legal and business background and experience, with extensive mediation education and training. The Firm has achieved the highest rating for legal ability in Martindale-Hubbell. Most important to him, though, is his reputation for fairness and persistence among both plaintiff and defense lawyers.

Jack considers himself very fortunate to have had a unique career path over the more than thirty (30) years of his legal and mediation practice. It has involved him in more cases of greater variety and interest than many lawyers would get to experience in two careers. During that time he has had the benefit of substantial experience over a wide range of state and federal litigation, as counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants of all kinds.

He has worked with individuals and companies from almost every conceivable field. These include such traditional areas as retail, service, financial, insurance, construction, manufacturing, and transportation, as well as technology companies of every size and type, and the issues that confront them. His experience has literally ranged from "A" (as in agricultural chemical exposure and crop damage cases) to "Z" (as in zoological parks). It has also included such unusual situations as cases involving lost profits in the video game industry, alleged software "piracy" by a software company, construction of sensitive government facilities, a complex wrongful death claim occurring in Middle Eastern country, and "Y2K," as well as many others.

Beginning his career as a lawyer representing insurers and their policyholders in a wide range of personal injury and property damage lawsuits, he soon found himself representing plaintiffs as well. His cases ran the gamut from simple soft tissue and other routine injuries, to amputations, severe burns, electrocution, toxic exposure (chemical, heavy metal, and radiation), brain and spinal cord injuries, psychiatric injuries, wrongful death, as well as numerous other catastrophic and rehab-intensive injuries.

His mediation career is equally distinguished, and includes an advanced law degree (LL.M.) from one of the premier mediation programs in the country, as well as other specialized training in the field; and extensive service on the mediation panel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, as well as in private mediation practice.

In addition, he has served as an officer, corporate director, and chairman of the board in private industry for more than twenty-five years, giving him an insider's perspective on a variety of business issues.

With the uncommon breadth and depth of his experience, particularly in handling numerous litigated cases, Jack brings unique credibility, perspective and ability to resolving any matter in his areas of interest, which include an emphasis on business, technology, employment, environmental, personal injury and insurance matters. Member: San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and American (Sections on Dispute Resolution, Litigation and Torts and Insurance Practice) Bar Associations; State Bar of California; Association for Conflict Resolution; California Dispute Resolution Council; Northern California Mediation Association.