Credentials


A Professional Corporation

2360 Thackeray Dr.
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 220-8600 (Phone)
robert@rheywoodlaw.com (Email)

Areas of Practice

  • Mediation: workers’ compensation, personal injury, insurance, employment, FEHA/ADA, disability retirement and related issues
  • Litigation consultation
  • Complex case facilitator
  • Discovery referee
  • Special master

Mediation Training

  • Harvard Law School, Mediation Workshop; Program on Negotiation; 2006
  • San Diego Mediation Center; 2002.

ADR Service

  • Mediations for Basic Crafts and other ADR programs.

Prior Employment

  • April 1976 to December 2001
  • Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen
  • 155 Grand Avenue, Suite 600
  • Oakland, California 94612

Admitted to Practice

  • California Supreme Court
  • United States Supreme Court
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal
  • United States District Court, (Northern and Eastern Districts, California)

Legal Specialization

  • Certified Specialist, Workers’ Compensation, State Bar of California; Board of Legal Specialization (1996-2016)
  • Member, Workers’ Compensation Law Advisory Commission; State Bar of California; California Board of Legal Specialization (2007-2011)

Education

  • A.B. (with distinction), Stanford University, 1971
    State Scholar, Dofflemyer Scholar, Dean’s List, Stanford in Italy,
    Stanford in Washington (Congressional Intern to Rep. Paul McCloskey)
  • M.A., University of California (Berkeley), 1972
    Education (Curriculum and Instruction); Secondary School Life Teaching Credential
  • J.D. (cum laude), Santa Clara University, 1975
    Articles Editor, Santa Clara Law Review

Teaching Experience

  • Instructor, Stanford Law School; Stanford Advocacy Skills Workshop (1994 -present)
  • Instructor, University of San Francisco Law School; Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (1995 -present)
  • Santa Clara University; Instructor, 1975-77; “Law, Youth and Education”
  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law, 1982-85, “Evidence Advocacy”
  • Hastings College of The Law, faculty member, 1983 – 91, College of Trial and Appellate Advocacy; and Advanced Advocacy Program
  • Panelist: “Coping with Workers’ Compensation Issues in Third Party Cases”, California Continuing Education of the Bar, 1984
  • Panelist: “Liens on Personal Injury Recoveries” California Continuing Education of the Bar, 1989, (Panel presentation selected for statewide audiocassette distribution)
  • Instructor, “Developing Basic Trial Evidence Skills”, and “Laying Evidentiary Foundations Workshop”, California Continuing Education of the Bar; 1990; 1992; 1994
  • Panelist, author and coordinating attorney: “Coping with Liens in Personal Injury Cases”, California Continuing Education of the Bar, 1993, (Panel presentation selected for statewide audiocassette distribution)
  • Instructor, California Center for Judicial Education and Research (1998)

Guest Speaker

    California State Bar Convention, Council of Self-Insured Public Agencies, Northern California Personnel Directors Association, California Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Public Agency Risk Managers Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Sonoma County Trial Lawyers Association, Oakland Public Schools, East Bay Adjusters Association, Industrial Claims Association, Bay Area Claims Managers Association, Casualty Club, California Compensation Defense Attorneys Association, Compensation Attorneys of the Bay Area, Alameda County Bar Association, Association of Bay Area Governments, Alameda County Schools Insurance Group, Diablo Valley Industrial Claims Association, Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority, California Association of Joint Powers Authorities, California State University, Sonoma County Bar Association, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Bar Association — Tort Trial and Insurance Practice section, Labor and Employment Law section and Workers’ Compensation section seminar

Publications

  • Author: “Ten New Tips from a Mediator for Getting the Best Results in Mediation”, Workers’ Compensation Quarterly (2018) Vol. 30, No. 4; Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California
  • Author: “A Modest Proposal: It’s Time for California to Have A Workers’ Compensation Code”; Workers’ Compensation Quarterly (2016) Vol. 29, No. 4; Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California
  • Author: “Eight Quick Tips for Applicants and Defendants to Improve Their Mediations”; Workers’ Compensation Quarterly (2015) Vol. 28, No. 3; Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California
  • Author: “Have You Mediated a Workers’ Compensation Case? What Are You Waiting For?”; Workers’ Compensation Quarterly (2014) Vol. 27, No. 3; Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California
  • Author [with Steve Siemers]: “The Case for Mediation. How to Resolve Complex or ‘Impossible’ Workers’ Compensation Cases.” Lexis/Nexis Workers’ Compensation eNewsletter; Vol. 2, Issue 10; March 7, 2011
  • Author [with Steven Siemers and George Mason]: “Advocacy in Mediation: How Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Can Get the Most for Their Clients Through Mediation”; Workers’ Compensation Quarterly (2007) Vol. 20, No.2; Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California
  • Author: “Resolution of Workers’ Compensation Cases through Mediation”; Workers’ Compensation Quarterly (2004) Vol. 17, No. 2; Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California.
  • Author and Editor: Coping with Liens in Personal Injury Cases California Continuing Education of the Bar; May, 1993.
  • Editorial Advisor: California Workers’ Damages Practice, California Continuing Education of the Bar (1989-present)
  • Contributing Editor: California Liability Insurance Practice: Claims and Litigation, (Two Volume Set), California Continuing Education of the Bar (1991)
  • Article: “Recent Developments in Public Employee Disability Retirement Law”; Reports; Los Angeles Daily Journal; August, 1984
  • Book: Coping With Workers’ Compensation Issues in Third Party Cases; California Continuing Education of the Bar; February, 1984 (written with William Smith; Abramson & Smith, San Francisco)
  • Article: “Comparative Negligence and Employers’ Liability”; Reports; Los Angeles Daily Journal; May, 1979
  • Article: “California Claim and Delivery” 14 Santa Clara Law Review 678 (1974)

Miscellaneous

  • Member: Lexis/Nexis Board of Editorial Consultants, California Compensation Cases and related Lexis/Nexis workers’ compensation publications (1995 -present)
  • Northern California “Super Lawyer”; San Francisco magazine
  • Grader: Workers’ Compensation Legal Specialization Examination; State Bar of California
  • A.V. rated (Martindale-Hubbell)
  • Alameda County Legal Aid Society, Board of Directors, (1978-85)
  • Oakland East Bay Symphony: Governing Board Member (1989 to 1994); President, (1991-93); Emeritus Council (2004-present)
  • Cazadero Performing Arts Camp, co-founder and member of Board of Directors, (1994 -2005); Advisory Board member (2005-present);
  • Judge: ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, Representation in Mediation Competition (2013)