Wendy began her legal career in 1979, and she spent many years as a real estate, construction, and business litigator, as well as conducting transactional work in these and related fields.  She has also been a real estate professional for over 20 years, participating as a principal and in a representative capacity in countless real estate purchase, sale, and property management transactions, including HOA disputes and landlord-tenant matters. She brings the cooperative experience of having worked with a diverse range of people on multiple governing and advisory boards and committees, both professional and charitable, as well as on several homeowner association boards. Wendy has also been a commissioner on the City of Calabasas Planning Commission since 2015, sitting as Chair of the Commission from 2019 through 2022, as well as being a Court and Arbitrator appointed Provisional Director for in-jeopardy homeowners’ associations and a Judicial Referee.

Wendy’s commercial mediation and arbitration practices include every manner of real estate dispute, both commercial and residential, ranging from purchase and sale disputes (failure to close escrow, time and contingency related issues, defective rehab, non-disclosure, fraud), to landlord/tenant disputes, to lending matters, title matters, and premises liability. Her expertise also includes construction disputes, from complex construction defect claims to course of construction disputes, to breach of contract claims for both commercial and residential projects. Wendy has also mediated many cases on behalf of pro bono court based mediation panels while training other mediators, and she is a member of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Commercial and Construction Arbitration and Mediation Panels, the California Association of Realtors (CAR) Mediation Panel, the Community Associations Institute (CAI) Mediation Panel, the Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA) Mediation and Arbitration Panels, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Attorney Client Mediation and Arbitration Services Panel.  Wendy has completed the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution Certificate Program, including over 200 hours of classroom education and over 60 hours of court based training.

Education

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law – Completed Certificate Program

  • Over 200 hours of post J.D. class hours and training in dispute resolution
  • Professional Skills Program, Mediating Complex Construction Disputes
  • Professional Skills Program, Advanced Mediation Skills and Techniques

Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, J.D.

University of California at Los Angeles, B.A.

Licenses & Admissions

California State Bar

Federal Courts, including United States Supreme Court

California Department of Real Estate Broker License

Professional Associations

National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals

Southern California Mediation Association

California Dispute Resolution Council

Los Angeles County Bar Association

American Bar Association

Beverly Hills Bar Association

San Fernando Valley Bar Association

Southland Regional and California Association of Realtors, Inc.

Community Associations Institute

Arbitration, Mediation & Related Panels & Appointments

American Arbitration Association (AAA) Commercial & Construction Arbitration and Mediation Panels

Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Attorney-Client Mediation and Arbitration Services Panel

Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA) Mediation Panel & Fee Arbitration Panels

California Association of Realtors Mediation Panel

Community Associations Institute Mediation Panel

California Academy of Mediation Professionals Panel

Judge-U.C.L.A. Annual Mock Trial Tournament, Regional Finals and National Championships

Judge-ABA Negotiation Regional Competition

Negotiation Coach-Straus Institute Women’s Negotiation Academy

Beverly Hills Bar Association Executive Committee-Section on Conflict Resolution

Publications & Presentations

ABA Forum on Construction Law, Division 1 Blog: The Dispute Resolver – Getting Beyond Emotion Typically Present When Mediating With Common Interest Developments

Focus Magazine, L.A.’s Premier Source of Information for Community Associations – Getting Past Emotional Barriers in Homeowner Mediation

Beverly Hills Bar Association CLE Presentation – The Proliferation of Short Term Rentals In Southern California: The Legal and Practical Issues When Dealing With Neighbors With A Revolving Door

California State Bar Association, 36th Annual Real Property Law Section Retreat – Resolving Residential Real Estate Disputes-From Negotiation to Mediation and Beyond – Speaker

The State Bar of California, CLE Webinar – Navigating the ADR Provisions in the California Association of REALTORS®’ Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA) – Speaker

Center for Conflict Resolution – Training program for mediators regarding unlawful detainer mediation – Presenter