Introduction

After 33 years as a successful trial attorney and firm owner specializing in medical malpractice, premises liability and wrongful death, Lauren Tate realized her passion for mediation and began to make her transition in 2012. While her litigation practice focused on personal injury matters, she has successfully mediated a wide variety of matters including business and real estate disputes. Lauren is particularly skilled at maintaining control of negotiations and reaching settlements in emotionally charged cases. She brings to each case her strong emotional intelligence coupled with extensive experience working with professionals in complex medical cases and remains committed to resolution throughout the process.

Lauren is not only adept at listening to counsel and crafting the most effective process for each case, but she also quickly builds a foundation of trust and respect, manages expectations, and keeps the parties motivated to make informed decisions. According to Lauren, “My work as a neutral resolving cases is by far, the most rewarding of my career. I have worked hard my entire personal and professional life to develop the skills required to be an effective mediator and am both proud and humbled to do this work.” An attorney commented, “She was able to listen empathically to my client’s frustration and keep her engaged and she spoke to her directly about the negatives and the risks while maintaining her respect and trust. I’m a little surprised at how effective a mediator can be. In the past I identified very little difference between them. She is really a cut above!”

Specialties

• All types of Medical Malpractice
• All types of Personal Injury

Hobbies & Interests

When Lauren is not working, you will find her hiking in the Desolation Wilderness or Seven Sisters, swimming and sailing in Lake Tahoe. She is passionate about her work as a member of Donor Development Committee of the Alameda County Community Food Bank and a proud supporter of Achieve Tahoe which serves disabled adults, children and veterans pursuing summer and winter sports.

Links and Articles

• Mediation in the time of COVID-19
• From The Mediator's Lense: Three Mediators Offer Wisdom

Legal Career

• Mediator at Judicate West (Present)
• Mediator, Tate & Associates (2012-Present)
• Settlement Panelist; Marin County Superior Court (2012-Present)
• Contra Costa County Superior Court ADR Program Panelist
• Alameda County Mediation Program Panelist
• Managing Partner, Tate & Associates, specializing in all types of medical malpractice and personal injury (2003-Present)
• Partner, Livingston Tate, LLP (2000-2002)
• Attorney, Shane & Taitz (1998-2000)
• Attorney, Lucey, Watkins & Lamson (1996-1998)
• Attorney, Anderson, Galloway & Lucchese (1994-1996)
• Attorney, Achor & Miller (1990-1994)
• Attorney, Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon (1986-1989)

Education & Professional Affiliations

• J.D., University of California, Davis School of Law (1986)
• B.A., University of California, Berkeley (1982)
• Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Advanced Mediation Skills & Techniques (2016, 2018)
• Woody Motsen, Mediation and Collaborative Practice (2016)
• Steven Rosenberg, Advanced Mediation Training (2015)
• Steven Rosenberg, Mediation Certificate Program (2012)
• Member, Alameda County Bar Association
• Member, Contra Costa County Bar Association
• Member, National Association of Women Lawyers
• Member, Queen’s Bench
• Member, Association of Defense Counsel
• Member, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association

Legal Experience

• All types of Medical Malpractice
• All types of Personal Injury