John Preston

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Have worked in Several countries: including, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland, Nigeria, Denmark, & Ghana.

Have conducted several hundred arbitrations and mediations over the last 15 years.  Many of these ADR proceedings involved multiple parties (multi-nationals) and complex issues of civil law, personal injury claims, business issues, contractual disputes, real property issues and complex damages. Latest mediation successfully concluded involving personal injury claims and insured defendants.

Have mediated (and resolved) & arbitrated;

several disputes involving a major California Auto Insurance Carrier;
numerous subrogation claims;
numerous real estate and property issues, including title questions, easements, title policy coverage, broker failures to disclose, broker malpractice, boundary disputes, construction, various purchase and sale contracts.
attorney fee disputes as well as law firm dissolutions.
numerous contractual & business disputes.

Private practice including all aspects real estate & business law, numerous residential transactions, commercial leasing, financing issues, guarantees, disclosure, mediation, and civil litigation. Represent Oakland Association of Realtors as well as dozens of brokers statewide.  Additional practice of law generally involving real estate transactions as well as securities issues, e.g., drafting prospectuses for syndications, limited partnerships.

Conducted in excess of 14 jury trials plus many more court trials—several involving personal injury, business and/or real estate issues. Additionally, conducted several hundred arbitrations & mediations for California Superior Courts, as well as  AAA & NYSE & PSE

(1991-1981)

Principal of International Private Investment Banking Firm (business transactions:
Genesis Group was primarily involved in sales and development of USA real estate and other business transactions between the USA and Japan.   Genesis Group had closed in excess of $10,000,000 in real property transactions.

General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer for Fayette Manufacturing Corp., and the limited Partnerships known as Wind Energy Technology Associates I & II & III.  Fayette achieved over $150,000,000 in sales over a four year period.  Responsibilities included litigation, negotiation, drafting, development, structuring, and legal analysis of all aspects of multi-million dollar transactions, including land leases and utility easements.

These aspects include real estate, land leases, financings, and civil & business litigation, drafting of financing agreements, commercial loans, and the drafting of investment prospectuses for syndication and limited partnership agreements.  Also included was the importation of over $5,000,000 in Danish equipment to the USA. (1981 - 1978)

Associate with the Law Firm of Touhey & Prosse, Santa Ana, California.  Practice consisted exclusively of litigation and general business law.  Largest trial involved dispute concerning 170 condominiums and consisted of over 130 plaintiffs, 30 depositions, 2000 exhibits, and all aspects of real property issues and practice of a protracted litigation.

(1977-1973)

Staff attorney to the University of Wisconsin.  Responsibilities included all aspects of legal practice relevant to a large institution, including contracts, litigation, settlement of claims, and public policy issues.
BAR & ADDITIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Member of Wisconsin and California State Bar Associations: (Alameda County Bar and Contra Costa Bar and San Francisco bar) as well as Federal Courts therein.  Member, ADR Sections of these organizations. Including alternate member of Alameda County Executive Section.  San Francisco Superior Court settlement commissioner Panel.

Currently mediate in Alameda, SF, and Contra Costa Counties arbitration and mediation Panels; Previous member of American Arbitration Association Arbitration & Mediation panels.

Former member (New York Stock Exchange) NYSE Panels, Arbitration and Mediation Panels, (Pacific Stock Exchange) PSE.

(1992)— California Real Estate Broker’s License; Active for 20 years
Member, California Association of Realtors, Legal Forum

Appointed as Member to Inns of Court, (Edward J.  McFetridge)  San Francisco.
Member,  The Mediation Society, San Francisco