Michelle Yoshida
Michelle Yoshida, Esq. has successfully mediated and managed multi-party and multi-faceted cases. Working with the Hon. Daniel Weinstein (Ret.) and the Weinstein Group, she is known for her ability to comprehend legal and factual issues quickly, as well as her ability to manage the ADR process proficiently and objectively. She has outstanding legal research skills and facilitates the mediation process between parties with ease.
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- Works with the Hon. Daniel Weinstein and the Weinstein Group, working on mediations with an aggregate value of billions of dollars annually.
- Experience with process design in complex litigation matters including finance, business, class actions, insurance coverage, malpractice, personal injury, products liability, professional liability, securities, catastrophic disasters, and wrongful death.
- Facilitation of communications at all phases of the mediation process.
Securities Class Actions
- Securities cases involving United Health, the Initial Public Offering Securities Litigation, KB Homes, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Marsh & McLennan Cos., Broadcom Corp., and other major NYSE and NASDAQ corporations.
- Class Actions involving issues including subprime lending and product liability.
Complex Commercial Litigation
- Disputes involving Goldman Sachs, Tenet Healthcare, Hurricane Katrina cases, Montana Power, and a wide range of financial issues.
Coverage Litigation
- Complex first, third party, and excess coverage disputes involving multiple carriers and multiple insurance towers; reinsurance and malpractice coverage.
ERISA Litigation
- Involving Marsh & McLennan Cos., Tenet Healthcare, KB Homes, Indymac, and Nortel Networks.
Contributions Towards Significant Briefs
- Strauss v. Horton (Cal. Supreme Court, 2008) Access to marriage for same sex couples; Constitutional Rights
- Ashcroft v. Iqbal (U.S. Supreme Court, 2008) Upholding Constitutional Guarantees
- Li v. State of Oregon (Oregon Supreme Court, 2004) Access to marriage for same sex couples; Constitutional Rights
- Rumsfeld v. Padilla (124 S.Ct. 2711 (2004)). Constitutionality of the US Patriot Act in designating American citizens as enemy combatants; Due process; Individual Review; Access to Counsel
- Muslim Community Ass’n of Ann Arbor v. Ashcroft (U.S.D.C., E.D. Michigan, 2003) Constitutionality of section 215 of the Patriot Act allowing the FBI to obtain membership records and personal belongings of both citizens and permanent residents of the US
- Grutter v. Bollinger; Gratz v. Bollinger (539 U.S. 36; 539 U.S. 244 (2003)) Constitutionality of law school and undergraduate admission policies
- Connerly v. State Personnel Bd. (92 Cal.App. 4th 16 (2001)) Constitutionality of state statutory programs that imposed monitoring and targeted outreach requirements to ensure equal opportunity in state employment and contracting programs
- Hi-Voltage Wire Works, Inc. v. City of San Jose (24 Cal.4th 537 (2000)) Breadth of the definition of “preferential treatment “ under Proposition 209 in public contracting cases
Background, Professional Activities and Education
- Full-Time Mediator in Private Practice, 2007 – Present
- Private Law Practice, 2000-2007
- Presidential Appointee, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1998 – 2000
- Board of Directors, JACL National, 2002 – Present
- Hon. Robert Takasugi Public Interest Summer Fellowship Board of Directors, 2000-2003
- Author, Transferred Intent: The Pervasiveness of Hate Crimes. Anti-Asian Violence in North America, Chapter 1, pp. 29-42. Alta Mira Press, 2001.
- Associate Producer, Life Tastes Good. A film by Philip Kan Gotanda, 1999.
- Actor, Only the Brave. A film by Lane Nishikawa, 2004.
- J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law, 1998
- B.A., University of California, Irvine, 1991
Contact Information
Email: myoshida@jamsadr.comMobile: 707.337.6315