About

Caroline C. Vincent, Esq. Overview

Caroline C. Vincent, Esq.Caroline C. Vincent, Esq., a pioneer attorney neutral in Southern California, has mediated and arbitrated more than 2000 matters during her distinguished 25-year neutral career. Ms. Vincent brings a broad legal background with some of California’s most prestigious firms to the table, which, coupled with her superb interpersonal skills, keen intellect and perseverance make her a preferred choice for both plaintiff and defense attorneys in a wide variety of practice areas.

Mediation/Arbitration/Neutral Evaluation Experience

  • ADR Services, Inc., Los Angeles/Orange County (2004-present)
  • JAMS, Los Angeles/Orange County (1994-2004)
  • Center for Civic Mediation (previously Neighborhood Justice Center), Santa Monica (1983-93); Operating Committee member 1984-93

Prior Legal Experience

Specialized in corporate, real estate and commercial transactions at:

  • Carlsmith Ball
  • Morrison & Foerster
  • Rogers & Wells

Private practice, specializing in large and small business matters, real estate matters, estate planning/probate, personal injury law and employment

Education

  • B.A., Newcomb College of Tulane University, 1971
  • J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law (Law Review),1978
  • UCLA Extension, Certificate in Environmental Law, 1993

Representative Matters

Complex Business/Entertainment/Intellectual Property:

Caroline Vincent has mediated and arbitrated hundreds of business disputes in a wide variety of areas. She has experience in corporate and partnership dissolutions, franchise disputes, accounting and finance, license agreements, intellectual property disputes, entertainment disputes, joint ventures, non-profits, secured transactions, license agreements, securities, and international business transactions. Her high-end transactional background includes industry expertise in radio stations, hotels, garment industry, health care, high technology and inventions, and banking and lender representation.

Employment:

Caroline Vincent has mediated every conceivable kind of employment dispute including gender, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, national origin and medical condition discrimination, racial and sexual harassment, pregnancy and family leave act, disability, wage and hour disputes (individual claims, class and mass actions), breach of contract, constructive termination, retaliation, trade secrets and whistleblower disputes. Caroline currently serves as Lecturer in Law, Employment Mediation Program of the Advanced Mediation Clinic at USC Gould School of Law, where she imparts critical skills and know-how to the next generation of legal professionals.

Personal Injury/Insurance:

Ms. Vincent has resolved hundreds of injury and insurance related disputes, ranging from simple auto accident to complex matters, including overlapping injuries, premises and toxic tort liability issues, UM/UIM, multiple defendants, first party claims, coverage claims, bad faith and SIU matters.

Probate/Elder Abuse:

Ms. Vincent is adept at resolving complex family relationship matters involving custodial care, accounting, fraudulent transfer, heirship disputes and the management and disposition of assets. In over one hundred probate, trust, will contests and financial elder abuse matters, she has successfully used her interpersonal skills combined with her ability to craft creative and practical business, real estate and family centered solutions. Elder abuse claims include individual and class action nursing home matters.

Real Estate:

Caroline Vincent has mediated or arbitrated more than 500 real property related disputes, including numerous construction defect claims of all sizes. During her 20 year legal career, she devoted several years to high-end transactional practice, with significant experience in commercial, residential and industrial development, construction and permanent financing (representing developers, tenants, lenders and borrowers), syndications, acquisitions, sales and exchanges, leasing, landlord/tenant, condominiums, shopping centers, hotels, office buildings, commercial and industrial centers, owner’s associations, CC&Rs, title and title insurance, foreign acquisitions and dispositions, foreclosures, short sales & work outs, CERCLA and related environmental matters.

Notable cases include:

  • Computer Technology Dispute: Successfully mediated $200 million trade secret dispute between public company and former CEO/founder
  • Pigford v. Glickman: Senior member of peer review team, including adjudication of over 1,000 claims by African American farmers against U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Sexual Harrassment: Pre-suit claim by managerial employee against publicly known CEO involving allegations of sexual assault & battery
  • Probate Dispute: Complex trust dispute over management and control of multimillion dollar business trust, between partner of deceased husband (business trustee) and wife and children of deceased husband’s estate, residuary beneficiaries of business trust
  • Real Estate Partnership: Arbitration of real estate broker partnership dispute and dissolution, involving distribution of national real estate brokerage franchise rights, usage of business name, allocation of commissions.

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

  • Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Santa Monica Bar Association and State Bar. Employment, Real Property, Business, Trusts and Estates, IP/Entertainment & Litigation Sections
  • LACBA Executive Committees: Small Firm and Sole Practitioner Section, Chair, 2018- ; Senior Lawyer Section, 2012-2015; Trusts and Estates Section, 2010-2012; ADR Committee, 1992-1994
  • Association Business Trial Lawyers Los Angeles
  • Court ADR Panels: Los Angeles Superior Court (Pro Bono, Party Pay, Probate Mediation, Neutral Evaluation, 2007-2013); Orange County Mediation Panel; US District Court, Central District Mediation Panel
  • Life Member, Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles; Board of Governors 1995-2003
  • ADR Subcommittee, State Bar of California Middle Income Committee, 1989 1992
  • Operating Committee of Neighborhood Justice Center (now Center for Civic Mediation), 1984-1991
  • Frequent speaker to bar associations and other professionals in ADR related topics
  • Recognized in Super Lawyers 2014-Present
  • Lecturer in Law, USC Gould School of Law
    • ADR Ethics, Fall 2015
    • Employment Mediation Program of the Advanced Mediation Clinic, 2017-Present