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Voluntary Early Mediation (VEM) Program

Choosing a Mediator

The parties agree that BASF will administer the case if this mediator is chosen. File the Mediation Consent form (43KB PDF) to initiate the process.

Fred D. Butler

Mediator & Arbitrator

Areas of Experience: Employment, Wrongful Termination, Executive Compensation, Race, Sex, Disability and Age Discrimination, Civil Rights, Residential Real Estate Disputes, Homeowners Associations, Landlord-Tenant, Construction, Personal Injury, Insurance, Conservation, Securities

Fred D. Butler is an arbitrator and mediator of disputes, including employment matters such as wrongful termination, executive compensation, race, sex, disability & age discrimination, and family medical leave issues; civil rights disputes & culturally sensitive matters; residential real estate disputes, including homeowners associations, landlord-tenant matters, construction and development issues; personal injury, insurance matters such as agent-broker/customer disputes and conservation & liquidation matters, securities.

Butler graduated from Hastings College of the Law in 1986, where he is a Past President of the Hastings College of the Law Alumni Association. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Center for Negotiation & Conflict Resolution. He has studied at the National Judicial College. Prior to becoming an Attorney, Butler served as Executive Director of a Housing Authority in the Northeast. He has served as a neutral through a number of organizations and courts, including U.S. Federal District Courts, California Appellate Courts, NASD, San Francisco, San Mateo & Solano County Superior Courts, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service, California State Mediation & Conciliation Service, National Mediation Board, National Mediation Service, ADR Services, American Arbitration Association, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Center for Employment Dispute-Resolution, US. Forest Service Agency, Department of Justice-KeyBridge Foundation, U.S. Postal Service Redress Program, Transportation Service Agency, Diverse ADR, as well as others.

He is a past President of the Board of Trustees of the Mediation Society; Past President of the Northern California Mediation Association, and Past President of Community Boards of San Francisco, the City's Conflict Resolution Program. He is a former appointed member of the California State Bar ADD Committee and Northern California ACT.

Hourly Rate: $300, four hour minimum