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Contact Jean-Paul Menard

Jean-Paul Menard mediates disputes involving business, commercial, employment, real estate and personal injury matters. Mr. Menard's 28 years of litigation experience and substantive expertise enables him to fully evaluate each case. His preparation, ability to effectively communicate with the parties and their counsel, patience and perseverance result in a high settlement success rate.

Mr. Menard has had over 28 years of litigation experience at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts involving all types of disputes including breach of contract, business torts, fraud, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets, trademark and copyright infringement claims, partnership and real estate disputes, and environmental and government contract/qui tam related claims. Prior to establishing his own firm in November 2008, Mr. Menard was a partner at the law firms of McKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP in Los Angeles (March 1997 - October 2008) and Stephens, Berg & Lasater, in Los Angeles (1986 to 1997); and an associate with the law firm of Munns, Kofford, Hoffman, Hunt & Throckmorton, in Pasadena (1984 to 1986). Mr. Menard is a member of the California State Bar, and is admitted to practice law in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; the United States District Courts for the Central, Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of California, and the Western District of Michigan. Mr. Menard is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar, the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, and the Southern California Mediation Association.

SInce 2008, Mr. Menard has mediated disputes privately and through the Los Angeles Superior Court's Alternative Dispute Resolution program. Mr. Menard has mediated cases involving breach of contract, business and partnership disputes, trade secret disputes, collection matters, real estate, fraud, wage and hour claims, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, construction contracts, and personal injury claims. Mr. Menard is certified by the Los Angeles County Bar Association to conduct mediations, and is a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court random select and party pay panels. He has participated in numerous mediation training courses, including those offered by the Los Angeles County Bar and the Southern California Mediation Association.

Mr. Menard received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1984 from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, was on the Dean’s List and served as a Senior Associate Editor of the International and Comparative Law Journal. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating magna cum laude, from the California State University, Northridge in 1981.

Mr. Menard is flexible during the mediation process, adapting to the particular circumstances involved in each matter including the nature of the case, and the personalities and desires of the parties. Given his extensive litigation background, Mr. Menard will typically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each party’s case in an effort to facilitate a settlement. He will use his interpersonal and negotiation skills to problem solve with the parties by offering practical, sound solutions to disputes. In most cases, Mr. Menard will caucus with each side separately throughout the mediation in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The parties may, however, be called together in a joint session either at the beginning of the mediation or any time thereafter depending on the circumstances of the case and if the parties are amenable to a joint session. If the parties reach a settlement, it will be memorialized in a written agreement signed by the parties at the mediation.

Parties are charged for either a half or full-day rate. The half-day rate of $1,900 includes 4 hours of mediation time. The full-day rate of $3,000 includes 8 hours of mediation time. These fees include all pre-mediation communications, preparation time and local travel. Additional mediation time and non-local travel is charged at $375 an hour. The parties and counsel are jointly responsible for payment of all mediation fees and expenses. Each participant shall bear its pro-rata share of fees and expenses, unless modified by prior agreement. The initial mediation fee is due within 7 days of the parties’ receipt of an Invoice. Payment is required to preserve the hearing date. If a party fails to pay its portion of the initial fee, Mr. Menard reserves the right to cancel the mediation. Fees for additional mediation time and expenses will be billed after the mediation, and payment must be made within 10 days from the Invoice date. Fees will not be refunded if a matter is cancelled within 14 days of the mediation, unless Mr. Menard is able to schedule another conference for that date. If the session is cancelled 14 days or more in advance of the mediation, the deposited fees will be returned, less a $100.00 per party cancellation fee.

Mr. Menard requests mediation briefs from the parties five days prior to the mediation. The briefs should be sent by electronic mail. The briefs should not exceed ten pages in length, and should include a brief summary of the relevant facts and legal issues, the material case and/or statutory authority, and a summary of any prior settlement demands/offers. The parties should submit relevant documents with their brief or at the time of the mediation if the documents are voluminous. The parties should exchange their briefs. Any information that is truly sensitive may be provided in a separate brief marked "confidential".