As of January 2022, after 30 years practicing law and 21 years serving as a mediator and arbitrator, Max Factor III is retiring from active status in the California Bar Association.  He continues to handle business and real estate mediation cases.

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Read the May 2021 Daily Journal article about
Max's highly effective mediation techniques
Click on image for full article

Voted by counsel as Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year", Arbitration (Neutral), 2014, in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area details here

2012 & 2014: Recognized by The Daily Journal as a Top Neutral in Southern California for article click here

Elected by his Peers, 2006 through 2021, as Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators

               MAX FACTOR III, Esq.    

Be smart: stay safe and take the extra time to follow the Covid-19 precautions

                  
 Email:
Max@FactorADR.com

General Inquiries: 310-749-2766 - Irene
Mediation Inquiries: 310-284-8224 - Nicole

Appreciative comments from counsel & litigants:

"Max brought closure in one day to a matter we thought would never end."

"A Highly Effective and Valuable Agent of Reality."

"Max uses his skills as a successful deal-maker and experienced litigator to get results that make sense."

"One of the best mediators I have had the pleasure of dealing with in 33 years of practicing law."

November 1, 2018 saw a new section (1129) added to the Evidence Code, with the aim of ensuring clients going into mediation understand the confidential nature of the process.  Here is a link to the Section: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml

See this link for a more detailed explanation and a sample Disclosure Notification and Acknowledgment form, courtesy of Kenneth S. Wolf, Esq. of Freeman, Freeman & Smiley LLP.  www2.mediate.com/smartbusiness/docs/Mediation%20Confidentiality.pdf

  Atlanta, 2019.  Max with grandson, Lev, to whom he made a promise years ago:
if the Rams made it to the Super Bowl, they would  go and see the game. 

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"Cap'n Max" with actual captain and guide in British Columbia, late July 2018. 
That's a 21 pound King Salmon.  Next day he caught a 27 pounder,
reaching the weekly limit for keeping; thereafter it was catch and release.

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    Mediations via ARC (Alternative Resolution Centers):  www.arc4adr.com/
and via AAA (American Arbitration Association):  www.adr.org/

Hundreds of Successful Mediations
9 years in public service
22 years in private practice
  21 years as a neutral
 

• Presenter: "The Non-paying Party" at "Mastering Commercial Arbitration", January 28, 2016, a full day program about cutting edge practical issues, presented by Los Angeles County Bar Association.
   
•  Co-presenter with Richard Chernick, Esq.  & Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq. for The Rutter Group: "Arbitration: Cutting Edge Issues"  April 27, 2015

• Recognized in April 2013 as one of 81 Honorees of the Los Angeles County Volunteer of the Year Award for playing a key role in enriching the lives of LA County residents.  Nominated by the LASC ADR office for volunteer work done over many years to promote mediation and arbitration.  Above: with Supervisors Don Knabe & Michael Antonovich, Head of LASC ADR Department, Ana Maria Veiga, and LA County CEO, Bill Fujioka.

• Panelist: "Beyond Mediation: The New Frontier of Dispute Resolution", Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles ADR Section, November 2012

• Co-author: "Advanced Negotiating Techniques Every Attorney Should Know": 85th Annual California State Bar Conference, Monterey, October 2012

• Co-presenter: Highly Effective Strategies and Techniques in Employment Mediation: SCMA/ARC May 2012

• Presenter: Sharpening Your Mediation & Negotiation Skills: Pepperdine, May 2012

• Co-Presenter: American Bar Association's Section of Dispute Resolution 14th Annual Conference, April 2012: "Building an ADR Practice"
   
• Presenter: Ventura Center for Dispute Resolution Annual Mediation Conference, April 2012: "Hardball Negotiating Tactics –Do They Work in Real Estate, Employment and Commercial Conflicts?”
   
• Presenter, American Bar Association's Section of Dispute Resolution 13th Annual Conference, April 2011: "Hardball Tactics, When to Use & How to Defend when Negotiating (or Mediating) the Litigated Case" (with Michael Orfield and Christine Masters).
   
• Presenter, California Judges Association Retired Judges Conference, March 2011:  "Mediation Confidentiality: Issues & Current Cases" (with Denise Madigan and Judge Laurie Zelon)
   
• Adjunct Professor, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University, 2006-2016, teaching in The Mediation Clinic.  Taught, as Faculty, "Mediating the Litigated Case" - intensive course for attorneys & graduate students from all over the country: 2010-12 Orange County and Malibu campuses
   
• Member, Los Angeles Superior Court ADR Committee & Sub-Committee on Operations, 2008-12
   
• Member, Executive Committee, Litigation Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association, 2009-12
   
• 2007-21: Best Lawyers® Best Law Firm for ADR Practice

• 2014: Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year", Arbitration, in L.A. area
   
• Chair, 4th - 9th Annual Robert I. Weil Lecture, 2009 - 2014; and again in 2017
   
• President, Downtown Los Angeles Litigation Inn of Court, 2008
   
• Member, California & National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals 2006-2017
   
• Member, Chair's Council for the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, CalTech 2011-18; Chair's Council for the Division of Biology, CalTech, 2008-10 
   
• Member, USC Board of Councilors
   
• Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Distinguished Visitor Lecturer, September 2007: "On Understanding the Effects of Anger and Fear in Negotiating Outcomes"
   
• Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators 2004 - present
  Panellist, "Emerging Ethical Issues: Are Mediations Really Confidential?" at IAM Conference, Coral Gables, Florida, May 2008
  Moderator, "Fear, Anger & Risk in Mediation" at IAM Conference, Portland, Oregon, October 2007
  Moderator, "Beyond Yes: An Exploration of the Mind & Decision-Making" at IAM Fall Conference, Dana Point, California, November 2005
   
• President of the Southern California Mediation Association, 2005-06
• Presenter, Spring 2005: American Bar Association Spring Conference
• Past Chairman (2006-07), California State Bar Committee on Administration of Justice

Education

Harvard College, 1966: B.A. Economics magna cum laude
Yale Law School, 1969: J.D., Yale Law Journal 1967-69   
  US Court of Appeals (6th Circuit) - Hon. Anthony J. Celebrezze
Law Clerk, 1969-1971  

Max was featured in Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, February 2008 & February 2009. To read the article, click here Super Lawyer Article Feb 2008.pdf

"I feel good!" - the legendary James Brown sharing some soul with Max.....