Admitted to practice law in 1986, and AV Rated for many years, Mr. Tessier’s legal career included representing defendants in general negligence, real estate, and product defect claims, as well as representing plaintiffs in varied matters of general and product liability, motor vehicle, and job site and construction injury litigation. As a mediator, he has developed particular expertise in traumatic orthopedic, brain, and neurologic injuries, as well as worker’s compensation and medical lien issues. Since joining Judicate West in 2008, he has mediated over four thousand litigated tort cases, including a myriad of major injury and high-profile claims. He has become one of the most sought-after mediators in Southern California and is well respected by all sides. One attorney commented: “Bob is extremely knowledgeable about the litigation process and is dead on in his analysis of cases. He has a wonderful way with people and uses his skills to cut to the heart of the case, while at the same time giving everyone their say. Another client commented: “Mr. Tessier was fantastic on a complicated premises liability claim, he never gave up during the negotiations and continued to encourage and work with the parties until the case settled. I will absolutely use him again.” A recent client succinctly summed it up: “He’s a closer.”
His varied life experience before becoming a lawyer, such as working in automobile restoration, restaurants, as a fitness trainer, and as a musician gives him a practical and unique perspective to alternative dispute resolution, and a comfortable, relatable style with his clients.

Practice Areas
  • Construction Defect/Injury Claims
  • Elder Law
  • Employment Law
  • FDCPA/Class Actions
  • Insurance Bad Faith
  • Lemon Law
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Negligence
  • Real Estate
  • Serious Personal Injury
  • Trust/Probate Disputes
ADR Highlights
  • Mediated over 4,000 litigated tort cases
  • Published numerous articles in the field of mediation for various bar associations, publications as well as Pepperdine Law Review
  • Presented at numerous speaking engagements on the top of mediation
Hobbies & Interests

His personal life involves his love of music-as he continues to moonlight in various bands-and classic automobile restoration. Charitable work includes being a current board member and officer of the JW Foundation, and Honorary board member of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyer Charities.

Website
Legal Career
  • Mediator, Judicate West (2008-Present)
  • Faculty, Institute for Conflict Management, Mediating the Litigated Case (2005-2010)
  • Robert M. Tessier, P.C, (1997-2006)
  • Partner, Rowell & Tessier, A Law Corporation (1992-1997)
  • Associate, Paul & Stuart (1991-1992)
  • Associate, R. Edward Pfiester, A Law Corporation (1990-1991)
  • Associate, Greene, O’Reilly, Broillet, Paul, Simon & Wheeler (1988-1990)
  • Associate, Murchison & Cumming (1986-1988)
Education & Professional Affiliations
  • J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, cum laude (1986);
  • B.A., Loyola Marymount University (1983)
  • Department of Real Estate, Real Estate Broker (2005)
  • Pepperdine University, School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Mediation Training; Specialized Mediation- Law, Faith and Peacemaking
  • Superlawyer (2014-Present)
  • Daily Journal Top 50 Neutrals State of California (2011, 2013)
  • International Academy of Mediators, Distinguished Fellow
Achievements & Awards
  • Mr. Tessier was named by Los Angeles Magazine as one of California's "Super Lawyers", each year from 2014 through 2018, in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
  • Mr. Tessier has published numerous articles in the field of mediation for the various bar associations, publications and Pepperdine Law Review, including: “What Goldilocks and the Three Bears Can Teach Us About Mediation,” (CAOC Advocate 2014), “The Top Ten Ways Not to Settle Your Personal-Injury Case at Mediation” (Plaintiff Magazine 2021), “The Case for Alternative Dispute Resolution in International Business Disputes,” “How to Achieve Optimum Results at Mediation,” “Mediating an Auto Case: Steps to Success & Mistakes to Avoid in Mediating an Auto Case,” “Making Effective Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution for Small Businesses,” and “The Settlement Game in the Ballpark that Tech-Bilt.” Additionally, Mr. Tessier has presented at numerous speaking engagements including: “Practical Tips for Success at Mediation,” Reykjavik, Iceland (2017), “Micro-Interventions for Unexpected Calamities, International Academy of Meditators,” Auckland, New Zealand (2016), “Let’s Make a Deal—Strategies for Resolving Personal Injury Claims,” SCMA (2012), “The Do’s and Don’ts of Mediation” LACBA (2009), “Ethics in the Small Office” (2008), “Workers Compensation and Governmental Liens” (2008), “Governmental Liens, Statutory Liens & ERISA” (2007), “Mediating the Litigated Case” (2006), “The Prisoner’s Dilemma” (2006), “Seduction in the Art of Mediation” (2006) and co-instructed numerous advanced mediation training courses.
Below is a sampling of the various matters Robert M. Tessier, Esq. handled as a practicing attorney or neutral.

Medical Malpractice

  • Mediated settlement of claims of medical malpractice arising from admitted liability when Doctor injected patient with wrong medication resulting in vision loss, cognitive impairment, stroke, and loss of consortium claim.
  • mediated settlement of claims of negligence and malpractice arising out of massage treatment to knee, defense argued pre-existing condition

Professional Malpractice Legal

  • Mediated settlement of legal malpractice claims arising from representation of plaintiff in a personal injury lawsuit

Landlord/Tenant

  • Mediated settlement of claims for constructive eviction and negligent discrimination arising when plaintiff was evicted from her apartment for having a service dog and children

Real Property

  • Dispute between family members concerning ownership of a multi-unit residential property following the death of one of the owners.

Warranty of Habitability

  • Mediated settlement of claims against a landlord arising from bed bug infestation of multiple apartments

Catastrophic Injury

  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from semi-truck with tractor trailer vs truck causing allegedly catastrophic damages to plaintiffs requiring extended treatment, including hospitalization and surgeries.
  • Mediated settlement of federal claims based on respondeat superior for the murder of the victim.
  • Mediated auto case in which a car was hit by a bus and plaintiff sustained lifelong debilitating injuries. Multiple defendants including the state and city, issues involved liability and dangerous conditions settled for over $2 million.
  • Wrongful death claim involving a truck driver who was crushed under a cab over truck while attempting to remove a hydraulic hose. Defendant is his employer who disputed that injury occurred in the course and scope of employment.
  • Complex wrongful death claim involving allegations of course and scope of employment with concurrent workers compensation claim. Heirs were minor children with different guardians.

General Negligence

  • Mediated settlement of claims arising when an elderly senior citizen waiting at a bus stop was bitten by a dog on a leash
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising when a minor child was visiting a residence with her grandmother as a guest and suffered a dog bite that caused scarring on her face.
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising when a jogger was bitten by a pit bull dog
  • Mediated settlement of multi-million dollar claims alleging negligence, negligent supervision and negligent training when a woman with pre-existing condition of diabetes was accidently cut when receiving a pedicure leading to severe infection and surgery.
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising when the gurney in which plaintiff had been placed after a motor vehicle accident overturned causing injuries to shoulder and arm that required surgeries and resulted in significant loss of income.
  • Plaintiff, a contractor, was bitten by a homeowner's dog and suffered severe infection causing carpal tunnel injury and nerve injury to hand.
  • Seven figure settlement for a man who, while sleeping under a tree in a public park, is run over by a truck that fled the scene.

Personal Injury

  • Mediated settlement of construction defect claims arising from injuries plaintiff suffered when a remodeled outdoor gate fell on top of her.
  • Mediated settlement for a trip and fall on sidewalk in front of a residence resulting in claim for policy limits against homeowners

PI Auto

  • Mediated settlement of 6 figure claim arising from head on auto v auto collision between two teenage girls that resulted in brain trauma, broken bones and soft tissue injuries.
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from severe injury, including airlift to hospital, caused by an auto v bicyclist collision
  • Mediated settlement of claims from auto v auto collision where multiple defendants created insurance coverage issues
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from rear end auto v auto collision, including damages of soft tissue injuries
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from auto v auto collision with a third party under-insured motorist seeking UIM policy limits
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from slip and fall caused by allegedly dangerous condition of poor lighting and crumbling stairs
  • Wrongful death action involving intersection traffic collision between motorcycle and tractor trailer. Decedent was a young man in his twenties with major dispute involving whether motorcyclist entered intersection on a yellow or a red light.
  • Rear-end car crash with mild TBI and neck and back injury. Plaintiff is a 66-year-old salon owner, with no provable loss of earnings as she continued to operate her business post incident.
  • Plaintiff severely injured in high speed T-Bone collision with orthopedic and mild traumatic brain injuries. Defendant criminally prosecuted for hit and run.
  • Two minor plaintiffs and two adult plaintiffs in high speed rear end collision. One minor (4-year-old female) suffered major head trauma and traumatic brain injury with a lifetime of limitations necessitating around the clock care.

PI Sexual Assault

  • Mediated settlement of claims of lessor and lessee liability for failure to maintain the premises and indemnity based on contract arising from sexual assault of an employee

Premises Liability

  • Mediated settlement of claims for breach of fiduciary duty; 2) negligence; 3) breach of covenants, conditions, and restrictions; and 4) nuisance against Home Owners Association when toxic sewage repeatedly overflowed the residence
  • Mediated resolution of claims arising from atrip and fall on public property utilizing mediator's proposal when defendant entity refused to negotiate claiming government immunity.
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from an allegedly dangerous condition in a restaurant that caused an elderly senior citizen to trip and fall and suffer debilitating leg injury
  • Mediated settlement of claims arising from injuries from alleged failure to warn, failure to follow procedures, failure to notify of known danger of weight limit on steep water slide that resulted in multiple passengers suffering dislocations and serious injuries
  • Plaintiff suffered third degree burns in a fire started by a candle left burning in his apartment. The smoke detectors in his unit did not work.
  • Confidential settlement involving a motorcycle rider rendered a paraplegic following a collision. Allegations included negligence, road design and premises liability.

Wrongful Death

  • Mediated settlement of multi-million dollar wrongful death claim arising from an elderly senior citizen falling in a parking lot after transportation service dropped her off with her caretaker.
  • Mediated settlement of multi-party claims based on negligence, product liability and vicarious liability for wrongful death arising from helicopter crash
  • Wrongful death case brought by adult children of a motorcyclist who was killed when she ran into the rear of a disabled vehicle on the freeway.
We came into mediation doubting we could achieve anything and did our best to give Mr. Tessier as much information as possible. To our (very pleasant) surprise, our client was receptive to hearing what Mr. Tessier had to say and agreed to settle. Mr. Tessier was able to give an explanation and direct our client with very well-reasoned positions. Mr. Tessier was also very receptive and empathetic to the emotions involved. Really fantastic stuff.
- Attorney on a Personal Injury Auto Case
You are one of the best mediators I've had the pleasure of working with. Your skills, insight and professionalism are outstanding. You always remain neutral and non-critical and consistently are able to keep the process moving forward, even in tough cases. You explain the process thoroughly to the clients at each step which helps them with the decision-making. Last, but not least, your follow up is great when the case doesn't settle at the mediation. Thanks for your help in getting this one resolved.
- Attorney on a Personal Injury Auto dispute
I cannot say how much I appreciate Robert's hard work on our client's case. He did a superb job of helping manage my client's expectations while simultaneously listening to my client's complaints and the subtleties of our liability claim. I strongly recommend him and look forward to working with him again in the future.
- Prominent Attorney, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Tessier was a class act.
- Attorney on a Personal Injury Auto case
I had never mediated with Bob before, although I had heard good things about him for years. The actual mediation experience was far beyond even what I expected. We were able to get a really excellent result for our client, and the process could not have gone more smoothly.
- Attorney on a Workers Comp Coverage Insurance case
I have had several mediations with Mr. Tessier in the past, and find him to be very effective as a Mediator; he listens carefully to presentations.
- Attorney with 30 Years of Experience in Insurance Litigation
He pursued settlement and was very firm with the parties because of issues with the case.
- Attorney on a Premises Liability Dispute
The result was great of course, but what really stood out was how [he was] able to build trust with my client and effectively communicate with him and his wife to bring them off the brink and back into the settlement despite my best efforts. This is just further proof of why [he is] one of the best!
- Attorney on an Insurance Bad Faith Dispute
Robert M. Tessier, Esq.
Based in Los Angeles
Case Manager: Amber Ali