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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.

Arnold Haims

Haims, Valentino, & Latchaw

Areas of Experience: Business, Civil Rights, Commercial, Construction, Contract, Discrimination, Employment, Environmental, Fee Disputes, Government, Insurance, Labor, Landlord/ Tenant, Legal Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, Probate, Real Estate, Uninsured Motorist

Arnold Haims was a civil trial lawyer for 37 years. Since ceasing trial work and exclusively serving as a mediator over the last 7 years he has mediated in excess of 500 cases.

Mediation Philosophy: Initially he is facilitative although evaluative if it appears necessary and/or if the parties desire such an approach. He believes that mediation should afford expeditious and economical resolution to complex as well as simple disputes, and mitigate the stress, which typically accompanies litigation, particularly where the parties are empowered to participate fashioning their own resolution of disputes.

Haims attended Stanford University, receiving his B.A. in 1953 and his L.L.B. from Stanford Law School in 1959.

He was admitted to the California Bar in 1960 and boasts an AV rating with Martindale & Hubbell.

His experience as both a trial lawyer and thereafter as a mediator includes: Personal Injury, Product Liability, Construction Defect, Insurance Coverage including Bad Faith and Uninsured Motorist issues, Auto Liability, Environmental Liability, Premises Liability, Medical and Legal Malpractice, Consumer Liability including Lemon Law cases, Employment, Real Property including Home Owner Association disputes, Business disputes including Contract issues, Civil Rights, and Railroad cases.

His mediation training includes BASF/ACBA sponsored Commercial Mediation Course, 40 hours (John Paul Jones); First District Court of Appeal sponsored course, 21 hours; US District Court, 17 hours; and Yolo County sponsored course (Steve Rosenberg), 30 hours.

Haims is a member of the following court panels: US District Court, ND California; First District Court of Appeals; County Superior Courts of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Yolo.

Hourly Rate: $250, split between the parties after BASF mandated pro bono time. No travel time charge for Bay Area cases where mediation time exceeds three hours.