The cornerstone of Alison’s work is client empowerment. When parties are informed and empowered to make their own choices instead of leaving life-changing decisions to a judge, solutions are lasting and emotional and financial health is preserved.

Alison’s career experience has reinforced this belief in the power of transformative choices. After many years of traditional lawyering at big law and then in-house, she chose to follow a new path: to develop a top-notch mediation and collaborative practice designed to help people and to solve problems rather than creating them. Walking away from litigation and conventional practice was both terrifying and exhilarating, but Alison has never regretted the choice to align her work with her values. She is passionate about helping people preserve their dignity, privacy, assets, and emotional health through the most difficult events of their lives.

Alison has assisted people in deep interpersonal and intergroup conflicts. She successfully helps parties to communicate authentically and respectfully, craft creative solutions that address the needs and priorities of everyone involved, and find common ground where none seemed to exist. Bringing parties to the table, facilitating dialogue, and managing power dynamics are all essential skills Alison brings to this conflict-resolution work.

Resolve Forward was founded from Alison’s conviction that fortitude, resolve, integrity, empathy, and forward-looking hope are the keys to successfully transforming conflict, navigating change, and moving into a new future of possibility.

Alison lives in Oakland with her partner and two teenage sons. When she’s not busy solving problems for clients, Alison enjoys game nights, swing and country western dancing, wandering walks with her dog, escape rooms and watching movies with her boys, especially now that they are old enough to watch the good sci-fi.

Education

• University of California Berkeley, School of Law, J.D.

• University of California Los Angeles, B.A, cum laude

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association, Family Law Section Member

• Academy of Professional Family Mediators, Member

• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member

• California Lawyers Association, Family Law Section Member

Admitted to Practice

• State Bar of California, licensed attorney

• All California State Courts

• United States District Court, Northern District of California

• United States District Court, Central District of California

Continuing Legal Education

• Working Creatively with Conflict: 40-hour Basic Mediation and Conflict Resolution Training, Center for Understanding in Conflict, Muir Beach

• 40-hour Divorce Mediation Training, Mosten Mediation, San Diego

• Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Training, Collaborative Council of the Redwood Empire, Santa Rosa