
Susan Bulfinch


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4815 East Carefree Highway
Suite #A108-512
Cave Creek, AZ 85331
USA
480 209 1295
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Description of Practice

Professional neutral with over 25 years experience mediating issues involving small business disputes, family, parenting and divorce, workplace and employment, and general civil matters. In private practice since 1994 offering mediation consultation, training, negotiation, and facilitation services in the private and public sector. Susan mediates throughout Arizona although based in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Susan currently mediates for the U.S. Postal Service, Maricopa County Justice Courts and serves on the Employment Mediation Panel of the American Arbitration Association. Former Instructor in the Mediation and Dispute Resolution Professional Certificate Program at UC Santa Barbara.
Professional Background
Experienced practitioner and trainer in the field of mediation and conflict resolution. Former Manager of the Consumer Complaints Division of the Mayor's Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing, Boston, MA; worked as an associate attorney in three family law offices before going into private practice in 1994 specializing in family and general business matters. Licensed to practice law in California and Massachusetts, current status: inactive. Past chair of the Beverly Hills Bar Association's ADR section, past president of the Southern California Mediation Association, past member of executive committee of the California Dispute Resolution Council, past president of the Arizona Association for Conflict Resolution, Maricopa County Association of Family Mediators, and Metropolitan chapter of Business and Professional Women.
Experience
Extensive experience mediating family and divorce issues including parenting, child and spousal support, division of property, debts, fees, marital mediation and prenuptial agreements. Specialize in working with high conflict couples. Have mediated workplace, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination disputes between supervisors and employees; numerous EEO claims of discrimination and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act; homeowner and neighborhood matters; insurance claims with respect to earthquake damage; bankruptcy and general business and breach of contract claims.
Have over 500 hours of mediation, negotiation and collaborative law training and teach two courses at University of California at Santa Barbara, Mediation and Dispute Resolution Professional Certificate Program.
Degrees
B.A., Hampshire College; J.D., Southwestern Law School; Diploma in Advanced International Law, McGeorge School of Law in cooperation with Salzburg University, Austria. Graduate studies in mediation and negotiation at University of Massachusetts, Boston and Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA.
Training
Dates | Trainer(s) | Title |
Sept. 2011 | Douglas Noll | Micro-Interventions in Mediation and Practical Techniques for Defusing Emotions, 6 hours |
June 2009 | Robert Benjamin | Guerilla Mediation: Getting Agreements in the Real World, 8 hours |
June 2009 | AZ State Bar Convention | The Changing Landscape of Labor and Employment Law, 7 hours |
Aug. 2008 | Joseph Folger and Robert Baruch Bush | New Waves of Transformative Practice, 8 hours |
Approach
Mediation is a collaborative process where I help facilitate open communication between all parties and identify areas of agreement to promote resolution of all issues. Strive to build trust and maintain an environment conducive to constructive conversation and adapt my style to the needs of the situation utilizing a facilitative, directive or transformative approach. Unless agreed otherwise, we begin in joint session and proceed with caucus as necessary. In complex litigated cases, parties are asked to submit a brief mediation statement in advance. My practice encourages the parties to meet without attorneys if they so choose.
Fees
Hourly and per-day rates set by mediator. Only charge for long distance travel.
Other Information
Offer mediation and negotiation training and consulting services to universities and corporations and facilitation services to non-profit community associations.
Areas of Practice
- ADA (75 mediated)
- Adult Family (80 mediated)
- Business (400 mediated)
- Civil (general) (425 mediated)
- Commercial (150 mediated)
- Community (75 mediated)
- Contracts (90 mediated)
- Cross Cultural (50 mediated)
- Divorce (all issues) (450 mediated)
- Divorce (parenting) (80 mediated)
- EEOC (85 mediated)
- Elder (5 mediated)
- Employment (275 mediated)
- Entertainment (5 mediated)
- Family (5 mediated)
- Insurance (50 mediated)
- Intellectual Property (10 mediated)
- Landlord - Tenant (25 mediated)
- Legal Malpractice (25 mediated)
- Partnership (5 mediated)
- Personal Injury (75 mediated)
- Postal Service (70 mediated)
- Professional Fees (35 mediated)
- Real Estate (15 mediated)
- Technology (5 mediated)
- Victim - Offender (45 mediated)
- Workplace (75 mediated)
Professional Services
- Mediator
- Communication Skills Trainer
- Mediation Consultant
- Conflict Coach
- Advanced Mediation Trainer
- Mediation Trainer
References available upon request.
This dispute resolution professional keeps professional liability insurance.
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