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