John S. Adler is a San Diego-based full-time mediator and arbitrator who brings over 40 years of employment law counseling, litigation, trial, and ADR experience to his mediation and arbitration practice. John has represented hundreds of individual plaintiffs, as well as Fortune 500 companies, labor unions, public employers and non-profits, during a career that focused on handling labor and employment matters with dedication, distinction, and great success.
John has successfully arbitrated cases for the American Arbitration Association since 1990, and conducted his first mediation in the 1990s. John is a graduate of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University.
Your “Been There” Mediator and Arbitrator
I know Plaintiff-side issues. I served as first-chair counsel in dozens of state and federal court jury trials and arbitrations presenting issues of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage/labor code violations, Equal Pay, first amendment free speech, breach of contract, and unfair competition torts.
I know Defense-side issues. I have extensive experience with insurance coverage issues, multi-party negotiations, realistic evaluation of claims, risk assessment, and securing closure of contested claims.
I have mediated pre-litigation, during litigation, right before trial, during trial, and post-verdict. I have been there.
What “Been There” Means:
Prepared. Dedicated. Focused on You.
- 40+ years of vigorous employment law advocacy, both plaintiff and defense side
- Has financially and factually evaluated over 1,000 plaintiffs’ claims
- Extensive state and federal wage and hour experience including PAGA, in arbitration, mediation, administrative proceedings, and as first chair counsel in 10-week class action trial
- AAA neutral for 25+ years
- Former Military Judge, State of California Army National Guard
- Former Judge Pro Tem, California Courts
- Adjunct Professor of Law, Univ. of San Diego School of Law 1998-2008, teaching Employment Litigation and Sports Law
- Martindale-Hubbell AV (highest) rating since 1990
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2001
- Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law, 2013-2019
- Super Lawyers, Top Rated – Employment Litigation, 2009-2019