Debra F. Bogaards

Debra Bogaards, Esq. has served as a private mediator for more than six years, as well as a mandatory settlement conference officer in San Francisco for more than five years and in Marin County for almost 30 years.

Debra's extensive career highlights a remarkable track record of successfully mediating hundreds of cases and achieving a consistent settlement rate above 98%. She brings a distinct advantage to her role, offering a clear and balanced perspective derived from having represented both plaintiffs and defendants throughout her 40-year career.

Debra’s subject matter expertise includes a wide range of employment issues in individual and multi-party cases involving:

• Wage and hour disputes
• Discrimination (across all protected classes)
• Sexual harassment
• Retaliation
• Wrongful termination
• Whistleblowing
• Defamation
• Fraud
• Reductions in workforce

Debra's expertise extends to:

• Personal injury matters
• Catastrophic injury
• Wrongful death
• Toxic tort
• Sexual abuse
• Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) cases
• Elder neglect and abuse
• Landlord-tenant disputes

Debra brings nearly 25 years of experience managing two insurance defense firms and 7 years as an associate, providing her with a profound understanding of how claims representatives set reserves, evaluate cases to determine value, and negotiate settlements.

As a mediator, Debra has earned a reputation as a quick study capable of identifying the key issues in the heart of a dispute. The “secret” to her success lies in meticulous pre-mediation preparation, including a thorough review of all case materials.

During the pre-mediation conference, expect a detailed discussion of your case’s strengths and weaknesses, potentially accompanied by additional homework.