Resume

Debra Bogaards brings more than four decades of civil litigation experience—and over 300 mediations—to her work as a full-time neutral at ADR Services, Inc. Her career spans both sides of the aisle: nearly 35 years as a defense attorney, including 25 years as managing partner and co-owner of two insurance defense firms in San Francisco, and 13 years representing plaintiffs in complex, high-value cases. This dual-perspective background gives her exceptional credibility with counsel and an intuitive grasp of risk, value, and negotiation psychology.

Ms. Bogaards has tried nearly 40 jury trials to verdict, the majority as sole trial counsel, in venues throughout the Bay Area. Over the years, she developed a reputation as a tenacious, detail-oriented litigator who understood not only the legal mechanics of a case, but also the emotional toll of litigation on clients. That insight now informs her work as a mediator, where she is known for building trust quickly, managing complex personalities, and driving results.

At ADR Services, Inc. Ms. Bogaards possesses a proven ability to settle difficult, emotionally charged disputes. Her mediation philosophy blends empathy with strategic realism. She listens intently to parties’ experiences and concerns, educates them on risk, and works methodically toward resolution. When appropriate, she offers mediator’s proposals—98% of which are accepted, or lead to resolution shortly thereafter. Her preparation is exhaustive; she reviews briefs, records, and deposition transcripts in advance, conducts pre-mediation calls with counsel, and maintains post-mediation momentum until the case is resolved.

Ms. Bogaards’ subject matter expertise includes personal injury, wrongful death, traumatic brain injury (TBI), employment law, elder and sexual abuse, landlord-tenant disputes, rideshare matters and products liability. She has mediated high-profile and high-emotion matters, including sexual abuse claims, catastrophic injury cases, and complex employment disputes. In each instance, she brings not just legal insight, but emotional intelligence and grit—qualities that consistently lead to settlement.

Ms. Bogaards’ track record includes resolution of several high-profile matters. A few examples include representing victims of the San Bruno pipeline explosion and of a vehicular rampage in San Francisco and Fremont, both of which resulted in significant settlements; securing a transformative settlement for a motorcyclist who suffered a below-knee amputation, working not only as his advocate but also as a trusted advisor on his medical, financial, and personal recovery; and assisting the parties in resolving a multi-million-dollar employment dispute involving a high-level whistleblower at a national corporation. Her persistence and the trust she built with both sides were instrumental in achieving a settlement after a full day of mediation through a mediator’s proposal. These experiences inform her empathetic and pragmatic approach to mediation today.

Beyond her case results, Ms. Bogaards is valued for her persistence—she does not end mediations early and continues to follow up until resolution is reached. Parties consistently describe her as prepared, effective, and personable. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that dispute resolution provides not only financial closure but also emotional healing: in her words, helping parties “repair their world” so they can move forward. Ms. Bogaards is known for getting the job done. In particular, employment lawyers bring her class actions, PAGA cases and challenging individual matters to her because of her decades of experience with in-the-trenches litigation, her keen eye for critical issues and pressure points, and her soft touch (when needed) for the parties.

Ms. Bogaards is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and UC Law San Francisco (formerly Hastings College of the Law). With a foundation in accounting and finance—including early experience at Peat Marwick Mitchell (now KPMG) and teaching roles in accounting and international tax—she brings a rare level of financial fluency to her work as a mediator. This background enables her to navigate complex damages analyses, wage loss claims, and valuation issues with confidence. Beyond her practice, Ms. Bogaards has demonstrated significant leadership as President of the UC Law SF Board of Trustees, where she reinvigorated board engagement and championed stewardship initiatives. Over the course of her career, she has also mentored hundreds of students and young lawyers, particularly women, earning respect for her commitment to lifting up the next generation of legal professionals.

With decades of trial experience on both sides of the aisle, Ms. Bogaards brings credibility, insight, and persistence to every matter she handles. She understands the risks and costs of litigation, speaks the language of both plaintiffs and insurers, and has the financial acumen to cut through complex damages and valuation issues. Known for her thorough preparation and practical approach, she builds trust with parties, keeps negotiations moving, and doesn’t let momentum fade. Counsel turn to Debra when cases need a steady hand, sharp analysis, and the determination to reach resolution. She is recognized, at her core, as a closer and a highly effective mediator with the rare ability to bridge divides, cut through complexity, and deliver settlements in even the most challenging cases.

EMPLOYMENT: sexual harassment; wrongful termination; retaliation; discrimination (across all protected classes); failure to accommodate, PAGA, whistleblower.

PERSONAL INJURY: motor vehicle accidents; bicycle and motorcycle accidents; pedestrian accidents; train accidents; public entity liability; premises liability; trip and fall; traumatic brain injury (TBI); sexual abuse; dog bite; product liability; wrongful death and catastrophic injury; psychological injury.

LANDLORD/TENANT: habitability issues arising from noise, mold, vermin, heating, plumbing, roof leaks, and electrical; inadequate repairs; constructive evictions; multi-unit buildings.

SEXUAL ABUSE: by teachers and coaches in a school district; religious leaders in a church; peer on peer abuse in a residential home for teenage students, and by massage therapists in professional environments.

ELDER NEGLECT AND ABUSE: failure to provide medication; failure to prevent bed sores leading to the death of the patient.

ADR Services, Inc.    2024-Present
Full-time mediator and arbitrator specializing in resolving Personal Injury, Landlord/Tenant, Employment, Sexual Abuse, and Elder Abuse disputes.

UC Law San Francisco’s Center for Negotiation & Dispute Resolution    2023-Present
Adjunct Faculty teaching “Negotiation and Settlement” class.

Bogaards Law    2017-2023
Solo practice on behalf of plaintiffs in personal injury, wrongful death, landlord/tenant, medical malpractice, sexual abuse, elder abuse, toxic tort and employment law.

Pave & Bogaards and Bogaards Davis    1994-2017
Managing Partner and Senior Trial Attorney handling insurance defense and plaintiffs’ work.

Associate with Various Insurance Defense Firms    1983-1993

Holman Fenwick (London) and Loeff & Van De Plufg (The Netherlands)    1982-1983
Post-J.D. law student in Salzburg, Austria as well as clerkships at two maritime firms.

• Harvard Advanced Mediation Training 2019
• Certificate of International Law, McGeorge School of Law, Salzburg, Austria 1983
• J.D., University of California College of the Law, San Francisco 1981
• B.S. in Accounting & Finance, University of California at Berkeley 1978