Signature Resolution Adds Experienced Mediator Thomas Oesterreich to Panel

Signature Resolution, a full-service dispute resolution firm based in Los Angeles, has announced the addition of Thomas Oesterreich to its panel of neutrals. Oesterreich brings extensive experience in civil litigation and a robust background in mediation to the firm, enhancing its capabilities in resolving complex legal disputes.

Oesterreich has been a full-time mediator since 2021, having participated in approximately 4,000 mediations and arbitrations. His experience spans a wide range of civil disputes, including business and commercial contracts, construction and construction defects, employment, insurance coverage, personal injury, premises liability, product liability, real estate, transportation, and wrongful death matters. His active and engaged approach to mediation has proven effective in moving difficult cases toward resolution.

According to Dario Higuchi, CEO of Signature Resolution, "Tom comes to us with an established mediation practice and an extraordinary amount of experience at the settlement table. What distinguishes him is how actively he works a case. He understands the perspectives of plaintiffs and defendants, reads when a negotiation needs patience and when it needs a more direct assessment, and is willing to keep changing the conversation until he finds what can create movement."

Before dedicating his practice exclusively to neutral work, Oesterreich spent 21 years as a partner at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, where he handled a diverse range of litigation cases, including personal injury, wrongful death, premises and product liability, transportation, professional negligence, business disputes, employment, trade secrets, and partnership dissolutions. His experience with individuals, small businesses, executives, and Fortune 100 companies has given him a practical understanding of the different interests, resources, and approaches to risk that parties bring to the table.

Oesterreich's approach to mediation is characterized by his ability to establish rapport quickly and his willingness to engage directly with the facts and law. He asks questions that get beneath stated positions and works directly with parties and counsel to determine what is actually standing in the way of resolution. His outgoing style allows him to maintain a productive conversation, even when negotiations become challenging.

"I stay engaged to recognize that moment. Sometimes the parties need a different way of looking at the problem, sometimes they need a direct assessment, and sometimes they simply need someone to keep the conversation productive. My job is to figure out what the case needs and keep working from there."

Oesterreich's background also includes serving as a settlement officer for the Orange County Superior Court and membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates, Orange County Chapter, as well as the Southern California Mediation Association and the Orange County Bar Association's Masters Lawyers Division and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. He completed Mediating the Litigated Case through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University.

Thomas Oesterreich's addition to Signature Resolution's panel of neutrals is a significant boost to the firm's capabilities in resolving complex legal disputes. With his extensive experience and active approach to mediation, Oesterreich is well-positioned to help parties move toward resolution in even the most challenging cases.