SAN FRANCISCO, May 10, 2018 - Judicate West, one of California’s leading providers of private dispute resolution services, welcomes retired San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Donald J. Sullivan to its exclusive roster of neutrals.

“Judge Sullivan has built a strong reputation in the Bay Area during his time on the bench. He possesses a pure enjoyment of presiding over and resolving disputes, and his vast and varied experiences will be decided assets to Judicate West and our clients throughout California,” said Mark Kaufman, Executive Vice President with Judicate West.

With more than 13 years of experience on the Superior Court bench, Judge Sullivan presided over a myriad of civil and criminal matters, including environmental, employment, business/commercial, and all types of personal injury including products liability matters. He has also conducted settlement conferences for these types of cases among others.

First appointed by Gov. Gray Davis in 2003, he handled misdemeanor matters and trials before joining the United Family Court, overseeing the division of property, child support and custody, and juvenile dependency matters. Judge Sullivan was assigned to the court’s Civil Division in 2009, where he presided over civil jury trials, and served briefly on the court’s Appellate Panel. Before his appointment, he practiced law for more than 30 years, representing plaintiffs and defendants in more than 30 California counties, and tried cases in 17 counties. During his time at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Judge Sullivan focused on government tort liability cases and real property, including eminent domain and inverse condemnation. While in private practice at Herron & Herron and The Brandi Law Firm, he handled a diverse range of civil litigation matters that extended to a wide variety of employment actions and all types of serious injury cases, including medical malpractice.

Judge Sullivan served as president of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA) in 2002 and was named the group’s “Judge of the Year” in 2013. He is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocates and the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, and he has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 1992. Judge Sullivan earned both his J.D. (1971) and his B.S. (1968) from Santa Clara University.