Testimonials

"I have already recommended Ms. Bogaards to two other attorneys in other cases so I hope that says everything!  I thought she did a very good job mediating this complicated and emotional landlord-tenant case which involved mixed contribution to the settlement from both the insurer and the insured.  I really appreciated her knowledge of the subject matter and ability to educate compassionately on both sides. Five stars."

"Ms. Bogaards is fantastic.  She is a thoughtful mediator that has a firm grasp on the underlying facts and law of the case.  However, it is her personality and perseverance that sets her apart from other mediators.  She has a fantastic ability to bond with the parties.  Earning their trust and buy-in is critical to get any case resolved.  Additionally, she never gives up.  Over the years, I’ve had too many mediators that get the 5 o’clock jitters and try to push a square peg into a round hole.  She doesn’t do that. In my mind a mediator has one job: settle the case.  I’ve not had a matter that Debra didn’t settle."

"Ms. Bogaards did an amazing job mediating this case.  She was pleasant and knew how to handle the clients and the attorneys on the other side.  Excellent with negotiating skills,  I would definitely ask her to mediate similar cases in the future! 10 out of 10."

"I thought she did excellent and have recommended her to clients for future use. She was pleasant, strong, kept to the issues without being over the top and got my client to be reasonable to get the case done."

"Our firm regularly recommends Ms. Bogaards for mediations, and I specifically aim to use her as mediator often when I can.  She not only has a great understanding of the trial process, but she is able to use that experience to quickly hone in on the relevant issues relating to a matter and to then articulate those issues to parties.   She goes above and beyond with pre-mediation meetings, and she will follow up and assist in settlement after the fact if necessary. In my cases, Debra has almost a 100% success rate when I have mediated with her, and I will continue to recommend her for my cases in the future.  She is a great addition to the ADR Services team."

"Debra was great and I thoroughly enjoyed working with her on this case and her willingness to make herself available as needed. I especially enjoyed the in person mediation and hope to work with her again in the future."

“We greatly appreciated Ms. Bogaards’ optimism and enthusiasm for the mediation process. This set a very positive tone and framing for the mediation itself. We also appreciated that she was a great listener, and welcomed hearing background information and emotional content that is present in most disputes, but that is often glossed over or ignored. She also did a great job of reality-checking, gently telling us about the potential weaknesses in our case. Finally, we thought it was great that she reminded us that a successful mediation will be one where both parties are unhappy. This was a great reminder of the nature of compromise. She also reiterated the upside of settling, as opposed to taking our chances with proceeding with the litigation – helpful to remind the parties about the risks of proceeding.”

“My mediation with Ms. Bogaards went smoothly and productively. The case settled within the allotted time frame due largely in part to Ms. Bogaards’ persistence, but also her vast experience in personal injury work. It was obvious her defense and plaintiff’s background gave her credibility with both parties. All in all, it was all a very positive experience. She was prepared and knew the flash points needed to get this settled. It took time but it was due to the parties’ obstinance, which she dealt with professionally and civilly. I’ve known Ms. Bogaards over the years from having litigated with her in her role as a defense attorney. I thought this case was perfect for a Mediator with a defense background that also does plaintiff’s work, as she does. I was very impressed with her grasp of value in regards to a plaintiff’s case. She was spot on regarding the values and issues. I would not hesitate to use her again and recommend her as a Mediator to all plaintiff’s attorneys who view her strictly as a former defense attorney. She is way more than that – very efficient; there was no wasted time.”

“I recently had to mediate a complex and difficult case, where opposing counsel and I agreed to use Debra as the mediator. I found her to be extraordinarily competent, empathetic and efficient in getting my case resolved. Debra was very thorough, read through and understood all the materials, and was very well prepared. She privately met with the parties and impressed upon them the risks each of them faced by going to trial. As a result, the parties reached a compromise which was fair, and only accomplished because Debra was able to see the case from a good perspective from both the plaintiff and the defendant’s point of view.”

“What we’re looking for when selecting a mediator is someone willing to put in substantial groundwork in advance to make sure the right people will be there with all the answers necessary for success, selects a location based on the participants’ needs, perceptively reads people, never gives up, and if the matter does not resolve, follows up, follows up, and follows up until it gets done. Debra Bogaards is at the top of her game as this type of mediator, and why we trust her to help resolve our most complicated cases.”

“A month before trial, Ms. Bogaards successfully mediated a challenging personal injury case and was able to effectively bridge a vast cultural and legal divide, to broker a settlement acceptable to all.”

“Debra is a very effective mediator because she is able to understand the important issues in every case and effectively discuss them with both sides to facilitate the settlement. She doesn’t give up and keeps finding creative ways to get the mediation process going.”

“Debra is well prepared and follows up after the mediation. I will definitely use her again as a mediator. We need more mediators like her.”

“Debra combines dogged determination with a velvet touch in her mediation work. She worked hard, showed my client she knew the case and understood much of what he was going through and once she did that, her evaluative comments had credibility. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with Debra again.”

“We had a tough personal injury case with multiple parties, and two prior efforts to resolve the case with a different mediator had been unsuccessful. Debra quickly grasped the issues that had been roadblocks to resolving the case and worked tirelessly to get the job done. Her experience as both a defense attorney and a plaintiff attorney was invaluable -she could see the case play out in a courtroom from both perspectives and was able to point out the strengths and weaknesses in the case to all parties. She also has a complete understanding of indemnity, which in our case helped to secure settlement contributions from all parties. Debra Bogaards is a dedicated and effective mediator whom I highly recommend.”

“Bogaards is a skilled neutral who can quickly navigate challenging issues and find a solution. Her thorough preparation allows her to hit the ground running and quickly identify the key issues in the case. Most importantly, her tenacity and ability to bond with clients allows her to get cases resolved.”

“Our firm has had several successful mediations with Debra. She is a seasoned professional who thoroughly prepares and builds trust with the parties. Her extensive experience and strong work ethic bring results.”

“Debra’s background and experience working on both sides of the “v” make her uniquely qualified and adept at successfully mediating disputes. She understands what motivates people — the parties, the attorneys, and the insurance claims professionals. When Debra talks, decision-makers listen.”

“Our firm has had great success with Ms. Bogaards in resolving a variety of claims. It goes without saying that her impressive litigation experience allows her to hone in on the core issues of any dispute, but above all, she is tenacious. It is immediately obvious she is invested in the matters before her, and that she is genuinely focused on achieving an appropriate compromise every time. It is always a great pleasure working with Debra, and I look forward to recommending her to others and using her services again in the future.”

“Great Result Debra. We call you GRD from now on. Thank you so much for your help and hard work. That wasn’t an easy one. Kudos!”

"I appreciate not only your savvy and skill but your passion, compassion, and ability to communicate a complex reality. I like to feel like I do the best I can for my clients, and money is one kind of yardstick but it is best measured in other ways. Thank you for helping me with that in this case."