1.  From Jonathan Corcoran, ADR-Student Professional Worker, Northwest District, Van Nuys Courthouse

The following letter came from an employee of the Los Angeles Superior Court, in the Alternative Dispute Resolution office, who arranged, with permission of the Court, Mr. Karp as mediator, and the parties and counsel, to attend a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on August 3, 2004:


Dear Mr. Karp,

I wish to formally thank you for allowing me to be a part of the mediation that took place on Tuesday, August 3, 2004. Your patience and expertise deeply impacted my overall perspective and allowed this experience to be highly educational.

The mediation couldn't have been any better. I was able to witness almost every aspect and possibility of the process, from calm comprehensive professionals willing to negotiate, to irrational emotionally driven lawyers who had no intention of overcoming a stalemate. But through your facilitative role, the impasse was broken and an agreement by all was reached.

The type of exposure that I gained from the mediation was that that could not have been read about in a textbook, lectured about in a classroom, or told about over lunch; it was raw, uncut, unscripted reality. Your ability to translate, explain, and reiterate the process of mediation, all while remaining calm and collective, reflected that of a true professional and a model for me to follow.

The experience was very emotionally exhilarating, and will be remembered for a long time to come. I thank you for allowing me to have this opportunity and for providing an environment which was very beneficial to my career goals. Thank you again for the time and effort that went into the mediation and I wish you the best of luck in all that you do.

Thank you.


Sincerely,

/s/
Jonathan Corcoran
ADR-Student Professional Worker
Northwest District, Van Nuys Courthouse

2. From Shari Mitchell, Mediator

The following letter came from another Mediator, who arranged, through the Van Nuys ADR Office, with permission of Mr. Karp as mediator and the parties and counsel, to attend a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on October 12, 2004:


Dear David,

Thank you for permitting me to observe your mediation yesterday, October 12, 2004. Watching you in action allowed me to witness all aspects of a case. Observing you allowed me to take the text book mediation into reality. I was amazed at how you patiently brought the parties to a resolution. At the point of the proceeding at which there was a potential impasse, you easily managed the parties to continue on with their negotiations.

Your methodology is skillful, forthright, and persistent. I can see why you have chosen to transfer your litigation practice into a mediation practice. I would clearly recommend you as a mediator to any parties of an unresolved conflict. You clearly love what you do and you have an intuitive understanding of the various elements which melt a dispute into a resolution. Again, I thank you for allowing me to be a fly on the wall during this mediation session. I wish you the best of luck in all that you do.


Sincerely,

/s/

Shari Mitchell
Mediator

3. From Howard Brittain, Jr., Mediator

The following letter came from another Mediator, who arranged, through the Van Nuys ADR Office, with permission of Mr. Karp as mediator and the parties and counsel, to attend a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on September 22, 2005:


Dear David:

Thank you for letting me observe your mediation at the Van Nuys courthouse on September 22, 2005. With mediation, as with any profession, there is a significant gap between theory and practice. Watching you in action has helped me narrow that gap.

I appreciate the professionalism and civility you demonstrated, from the outset with your letter to counsel seeking permission for me to observe, up to the moment you adjourned the mediation.

You handled a complex, emotionally charged business dispute with great skill. Where a preconceived ,cookie-cutter approach would have been a disaster, your intuitive ability to handle the twists and turns of the process in a seamless fashion was impressive and effective something that I'm sure was not lost on the parties or counsel.

I was struck by how you served as an agent of reality for parties and counsel who were sorely in need of a dose. When you asked the plaintiffs what they thought a judge or jury would make of the arguments they had just advanced, I could see that they had not even considered the thought before. Similarly, in a dispute that seemed to be about revenge as much as money, with your help the parties and counsel left the table with the costs and risks associated with advancing their respective positions in clear focus.

The parties had the latitude to own their conflict even as you remained firmly in control of the process. When it looked like the situation might degenerate into an enthusiastic exchange of brickbats, you skillfully guided them back to the process at hand.

Your approach to mediation ensures that parties have their best shot at successfully controlling the outcome of their dispute and settling it themselves. I think that's a serviceable definition of what mediation is all about.


Sincerely,

/s/

Howard Brittain, Jr.
Mediator

4. From Norman J. Granz, Mediator

The following letter came from another Mediator, who arranged, through the Van Nuys ADR Office, with permission of Mr. Karp as mediator and the parties and counsel, to attend a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on April 15, 2006:


Dear David,

Thank you for allowing me to observe your mediation at the Los Angeles Superior court today. I was impressed with the skillful manner in which you handled the parties conflicting views and positions. You were quite adept at listening with an understanding look as the parties presented their positions to you. Also present was an admirable show of patience upon your part as you received and interpreted the endless number of proposals presented. Your experience proved quite beneficial in resolving the matter at hand.

Truly yours,

/s/

Norman J. Granz

5. From Laurie J. Butler, Attorney

The following letter came from an attorney who participated in a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on May 17, 2007


Dear David,

I wanted to thank you for your efforts in [our] recent mediation.... This case is particularly challenging as all parties speak Spanish as their primary language. Nonetheless, you assisted everyone with amazing ease in understanding the key issues which will be dealt with at trial and as to which we should focus for settlement purposes. You suggested solid business solutions which we are all now pursuing. You also helped us establish better communications to move the case along faster to a settlement, which we are all optimistic will occur.

Thank you again for your excellent work. My opposing counsel, Diane Carey shares my feeling on your work.

Very truly yours,

/s/

Laurie J. Butler 

6.  From Jessica Lyman Pink, Attorney and Mediator

The following letter came from an attorney and mediator who, with permission of Mr. Karp as mediator and the parties and counsel, observed a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on January 28, 2010:

Hi David -

Thank you so much for permitting me to observe your mediation yesterday afternoon. I was impressed with your tireless efforts to help the parties move toward a compromise. You asked thoughtful questions and gave the parties gentle and consistent guidance in their search for a resolution that everyone could live with. Although the case did not settle, your efforts left the parties with much to think about and planted the seeds from which a solution might grow.

Warmest regards,
Jessica

Jessica Lyman Pink
Pink Law Group, a Professional Corporation

7.  From Rick Lam, Attorney and Mediator

The following text came from an attorney and mediator who, with permission of Mr. Karp as mediator and the parties and counsel, observed a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the Los Angeles Superior Court on February 23, 2010:

"I had the pleasure of observing Mr. Karp during my mediatior's training with the Los Angeles Superior Court ADR program. Though the issues were difficult, Mr. Karp's experience helped focus the mediation on the issues the parties were primarily concerned about. Mr. Karp was able to establish a line of communication and rapport that allowed them to resolve many of their issues despite being worlds apart on both fact and law. As an attorney, I would highly recommend Mr. Karp's mediation services. His knowledge of law and skills as a communicator are exactly what is needed in most mediations"

8.  From Dawn Schock, Attorney and Mediator

The following text came from an attorney and mediator who, with permission of Mr. Karp as mediator and the parties and counsel, observed a mediation conducted by Mr. Karp at the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, on June 21, 2010:

"Madam or Sir:

"I am writing this letter to convey my highest recommendation of David Karp as a mediator.  I am an appellate specialist who has been practicing law in California for over twenty years.  I am also a mediator and serve on the panel of mediators for the Second District Court of Appeal. 

"I recently had the opportunity to observe a mediation that Mr. Karp conducted for two parties to an appeal at the Second District.  I was very impressed by Mr. Karp’s efficiency in quickly discerning the fundamental issues and bringing the individual parties to a realistic understanding of the other’s position and the benefits and sacrifices that would be required to reach a settlement.  Mr. Karp’s years of experience as a mediator were evident in his informal but direct style, his accurate reading of the parties’ positions, and in his skilled guiding of the discussions in a productive direction.  I was most impressed by the degree of progress he achieved in a short period of time, as were the parties.

"Sincerely,

Dawn Schock"