Judge Waldrip began his legal career in the Trial Department of Rutan & Tucker, Orange Country's largest local-based firm. He left as a senior partner to become General Counsel for a healthcare company. Shortly thereafter, he opened his own small firm, the Law Offices of Stuart T. Waldrip, APC. There, he was a successful business and professional liability litigator for 16 years before being appointed to the Orange County Superior Court in 1996.
Before being appointed to the Court, Judge Waldrip served regularly for many years as a judge pro tempore, presiding over hundreds of settlement conferences and other judicial proceedings. During his career, he received many honors and awards, including being President of the Orange County Bar Association and receiving the Franklin G. West Award, its highest honor. In 1991 he was inducted as a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.
With over 45 years of experience as a successful litigator and jurist, Judge Waldrip has a reputation as an even-tempered, fair-minded, very capable jurist with a talent for bringing opposing sides together. His final assignment before retiring from the Court was as a member of the elite Complex Civil Litigation Panel, which he helped organize. He presided over complex construction, insurance, class action, condemnation, business, intellectual property, and other large and difficult civil cases. Most of these cases were resolved by settlement with Judge Waldrip's help. Now, as one of the senior neutrals at Judicate West, he has a passion for helping others resolve their disputes with the patience, firmness, experience, and understanding that makes him the ideal neutral.
As one prominent litigator, now a judge observed: "As a lawyer and a judge, Stu Waldrip was second to none in the respect he earned from his colleagues.... impeccable integrity, a keen intellect, a commanding presence, and a way with people that produces results." Another litigator and managing partner of a major law firm commented, after a successful mediation: " He couldn't have done a better job in a tough case, and I couldn't recommend him more highly."
Practice Areas
- Business/Contractual
- Class Actions
- Construction/Defect
- Employment
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property
- Personal Injury
- Product Liability
- Professional Liability
- Real Estate
- Referee - Discovery
ADR Highlights
- Active ADR Neutral for 12+ years in multiple states and have managed over 1K of cases
- Arbitrated large, multi-session case in healthcare industry with hard damages over $100 million
- Settled business dispute involving multi-national tech company and tech vendor in 9 sessions over 3+ years and during two trials
- Settled ownership dispute involving multi-national business after 11 sessions over 3+ years
- Arbitrated dispute between cooperating developers of large metro complex in 11 separate arbitrations over 4 years (so far)
- One of authors of JW Commercial Arbitration Rules and Appellate Rules
- On CLE panel in NorCal and SoCal presenting on best techniques and practices in Arbitration
Hobbies & Interests
Golf, Skiing, Fly Fishing, Scuba Diving
Speaks fluent Spanish and German
Legal Career
- Neutral, Judicate West (2006-Present)
- Judge, Orange County Superior Court, General and Complex Civil (1996-2002)
- Attorney, Law Offices of Stuart T. Waldrip, APC Business Litigation and Professional Liability, Orange County (1980-1996)
- Attorney, Rutan & Tucker, Trial Department, Orange County (1967-1979)
Education & Professional Affiliations
- J.D., University of Utah College of Law (1967)
- B.A., Stanford University, Economics (1961) Minor Engineering
- BYU Law School, Adjunct Professor of Civil Trial Practice (2006-2008)
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow (1991-Present)
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Member (1985-Present)
- Orange County Bar Association, President (1987); Treasurer (1985)
- Orange County Bar Association, Executive Committee & Board of Directors (1997-1979; 1982-1988)
- Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission, Mission President (2002-2005); Former Stake President and Bishop, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Achievements & Awards
- Inaugural recipient, Lifetime Achievement Award, Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County (2002)
- Franklin G. West Award, Orange County Bar Association (1996)
- Outstanding Attorney Volunteer Award, Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange Co. (1996)
- Outstanding Lawyer Award, J. Reuben Clark Law Society of Orange County (1994)
- Bill of Rights in Action Award, Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County (1993)
- Community Service Award, Orange County Bar Foundation (1991)
- Assistant Editor, Utah Law Review (1966-67)
Below is a sampling of the various matters Hon. Stuart T. Waldrip, Ret. presided over on the bench, tried as an attorney, or handled as a neutral.
Complex Commercial
- Mediated a dispute between a large bank and guarantors involving a 7-figure default on a medical equipment loan.
- Mediated a case involving an 8-figure default on a loan for a resort hotel with borrower and guarantor issues.
- Mediated a 7-figure dispute over the development rights and obligations of a large desert development project.
- Mediated a dispute between 12 parties regarding real estate concealment/failure to disclose.
- Served as a discovery reference for a multi-million dollar dispute between the manufacturers of highly technical equipment involving ESI of great magnitude.
- Mediated a contract and tort business dispute involving three worldwide semiconductor companies and other parties. The case involved complex legal, factual, and insurance issues requiring multiple days of mediation to resolve. A settlement was reached following the mediator's proposal.
- Mediated the break-up of a major multi-location law firm. Settled with all partners involved on complex terms involving client, taxation, intellectual property, accounting, retirement plan, and other elements, including the separation of one group of partners and associated associates and staff from another group.
Consumer Class Action
- Mediated a large nationwide class action against a major food manufacturer regarding claims of false advertising.
- Mediated a multi-million dollar Open ARM Loan class action against a home loan lender.
Contractual
- Mediated a 7-figure dispute between a public entity and a large university hospital over contract issues and terms.
- Mediated an 8-figure dispute between a large software company and the principals of the acquired company over contract and technical issues. The case required 7 sessions over the course of 2 years.
- Mediated a business dispute between well-known public figures with 8-figure damages at stake involving 8 lawsuits in 3 jurisdictions. A 6-figure settlement was reached after 3 mediation sessions spanning 4 months and vigorous follow-up.
- Chaired a 3-judge panel to review CLRA award regarding lender and auto dealer issues of significant importance to both industries involving interpretation of the California Consumer Remedies Act and relevant case law.
- Arbitrated an 8-figure major health care company break-up dispute involving multiple parties and counsel over several years.
- Arbitrated a construction dispute case involving a steel structure at an airport with contradicting claims under contract documents and regarding performance issues, change orders, delays, and other concerns.
- Arbitrated a construction delay and performance dispute on a major project for an airport. The case involved large contractors on each side with competing claims for delay damages vs. contract amounts owing.
- Arbitrated a dispute between prominent contractors regarding performance, delay, and liquidated damages issues on a large airport project. The dispute unfolded over multiple days of arbitration.
- Mediated and settled a dispute over management and other provisions of multiple LLCs, including millions of dollars in multi-family residential properties. The settlement revised the provisions of Operating Agreements of LLCs to accommodate the interests of the parties.
- Mediated a securities fraud case involving international parties and institutions complicated by cultural and language issues. The case settled for a mid-7-figure amount.
- Mediated a case between a large university-affiliated hospital and a county regional hospital over contractual and regulatory issues involving referred patients with specialized care needs.
Corporate Governance
- Mediated the corporate divorce of three closely held companies with a total value in the 9-figures and complex issues.
- Arbitrated the breakup of a sophisticated real estate syndication and investment companies with common ownership. The contested properties were divided between the owners after a complex settlement agreement through an arbitrated “draft pick” process, dividing up properties and debts in the high 8-figures. This enabled the owners to continue with their own portfolios and separate companies - avoiding threatened receivership and litigated break-up.
Financial Elder Abuse
- Mediated a dispute alleging fraud in the sale of a business, and fraudulent financial advice and conduct with a multi-national. The case involved multiple parties, with one party being incarcerated due to the dispute and other transactions. The national broker-dealer firm settled out earlier. Parallel FINRA and criminal cases. Settled with all parties for six-figure payments.
Construction Breach Of Contract
- Arbitrated a multi-million dollar construction defect case involving a water storage facility between a city, an insurance carrier, and a multi-national contractor.
Construction Defects
- Mediated a multi-home dispute with the developer and multiple subs over construction defect issues.
Wrongful Termination
- Mediated an employment discrimination case against a fast food chain, partially in Spanish.
- Mediated an 8-figure executive wrongful termination case over multiple sessions.
Environmental Issues
- Wrote an article in the Utah Law Review regarding General Adjudication Proceedings in the 17 Western States. The article has since been cited by the courts. Worked on the California-Arizona Colorado River dispute, as well as several other Southern California water matters. Has a long history of resolving disputes involving various governmental agencies and political units. That includes cities, counties, the state and federal government, and agencies of all levels, water districts, schools, special districts, intergovernmental agencies, joint powers agreements, etc. A substantial part of his judicial career and time as a neutral has involved resolving government claims, government contracting, and general public liability issues.
Coverage
- Mediated a dispute between a carrier and a large residential developer over coverage and related issues. The case required multiple sessions.
- Served as the Presiding Arbitrator of a panel determining a re-insurance claim made by a major carrier against a California city.
Subrogation
- Arbitrated an 8-figure dispute between carriers over the respective duties to contribute to the settlement of an underlying product liability case.
- Arbitrated an underlying 8-figure CNC injury claim to determine the parties' respective responsibilities for settlement contributions.
General IP
- Mediated 7-figure cross claims regarding IP theft and unfair competition between parties in the tech industry.
IP Trade Secrets
- Served as a discovery reference for a multi-million dollar dispute between two international drug manufacturers over trade secrets and related issues.
- Served as a discovery reference for a dispute between a credit card processor and departing employees over trade secret electronic media issues.
Estates/Trusts
- Mediated a dispute between a complex, large estate and trust with 11 lawsuits. The case settled after 4 mediations for an 8-figure amount in the very early hours of the morning.
- Arbitrated a multi-session dispute over interpretation and implementation of settlement documentation in a nine-figure estate and trusts matter between multiple parties and involving 12 lawsuits.
Probate
- Mediated a complex will contest case. The dispute was between competing potential beneficiaries of an estate valued at a significant eight-figure value. The case settled with an agreement to jointly pursue a will contest against a purportedly fraudulent will by allocating expenses, fees, and distribution of the estate between them if the contest was successful.
Legal
- Mediated a 7-figure malpractice claim made by a sports manufacturer against a large law firm.
- Arbitrated a 6-figure malpractice/attorney fees case between a major law firm and their client.
Breach Of Contract
- Mediated a dispute over lease rights and obligations between a major grocery chain and a shopping center.
- Mediated and settled a dispute regarding a commercial lease/option to purchase agreement.
Home Owners Association
- Acted as a Judicial Reference in a case involving construction defect issues between an HOA and multiple developers and construction defendants.
- Acted as a Judicial Reference for a breach of contract and construction defect case involving a series of detention basins serving several large residential developments. The case involved multiple parties and had a large amount at stake.
- Mediated a dispute between a homeowner and their HOA over the interpretation of CC&Rs, fine assessments, and a breach of fiduciary duty. The case had a 7-figure demand and settled for 6 figures.
Landlord/Tenant
- Arbitrated the allocation of a settlement of multi-millions of dollars in claims for fire losses of multiple tenants in a major metropolitan business complex.
Real Property
- Arbitrated a series of 7 disputes between two developers of a mixed-use development in the downtown area of a large city.
- Mediated a dispute over the validity of an option to purchase commercial real estate. The case settled for the purchase of the property.
Business Torts
- Mediated a construction defect/mold case involving allegations of personal injury to residents from mold exposure in an expensive hillside home.
PI Auto
- Mediated a serious motorcycle vs. auto personal injury case.
Premises Liability
- Mediated a 7-figure toxic mold case against a large HVAC supplier and installer.
Product Liability
- Mediated a complex product defect case involving supply chain manufacturers.
I really appreciated Judge Walrdip’s approach and dedication to the settlement process. It was an honor to have him as mediator.
- Attorney on a Real Estate Neighbor Dispute Case
I am impressed with Judge Waldrip's tenacity to put together a settlement for a difficult and complex case. I appreciate the effort he expended and look forward to working with him again.
- Attorney, Orange County, California
This was a complicated case because there were different parties involving multiple leases, an eviction, and property damage claims. Despite the challenges and personalities, Judge Waldrip stayed with the case, worked late, and helped the parties get the case resolved. I look forward to working with Judge Waldrip in the future.
- Attorney on a Real Property Breach of Contract case
Judge Waldrip was committed and even available after the mediation had concluded, to assisting the parties with finalizing the settlement.
- Attorney, Newport Beach, California
Judge Waldrip did a good job. I believe his yeoman efforts kept the parties at the table longer than a less effective mediator would have.
- Attorney on a Real Property Transaction case
I would like to express my appreciation for Judge Waldrip's skill and professionalism as a mediator. He did an outstanding job at settling a complex and hotly litigated case headed for trial. I look forward to working with him again in the future.
- Attorney, Orange County, California
Judge Waldrip arrived at mediation with a solid grasp of the facts and the issues at hand. Though I think one of the parties was very difficult and came to the table with unreasonable expectations, Waldrip was able to guide them to a reasonable outcome. I was impressed with how direct and patient he was during the whole process. Further, I was happy he was willing to see the settlement through to the end and participated in the drafting/discussion of the settlement agreement.
- Attorney on a Real Estate Neighbor Dispute Case
He listened, kept all parties at the table until deal was done. He stayed until 2:30 am to sign binding agreement.
- Attorney on a Probate Matter
