(415) 806-2091
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The Mediator

Craig Meredith, Esq. has successfully served as a mediator for over 30 years. He opened his own mediation practice in 2016. Prior to that, he was with JAMS, where he mediated full-time for 6 years. He has participated in hundreds of cases, locally and nationally, involving complex insurance disputes, including construction defect cases, inter-carrier and insured-carrier disputes, broker disputes, bad faith litigations, bodily injury suits, and other disputes. Prior to JAMS, he participated in hundreds of settlements of major construction litigations as a coverage counsel for the owner, developer, or general contractor. He is widely known for settling not only insurance disputes but also other significant cases where settlement is impeded by underlying coverage disputes.
Mr. Meredith is renowned for his expertise in the areas of insurance coverage with a primary emphasis on general liability coverage for commercial construction, construction defects, engineering, infrastructure, and environmental matters. He is deeply familiar with issues that arise under CGL coverage, as well as property insurance, builders risk insurance, bonds, subcontractor default insurance, and professional liability insurance. Mr. Meredith is also well known and respected for his ability to form relationships with both carrier representatives and outside counsel.
Mr. Meredith’s expertise is frequently used throughout the country in disputes related to large commercial and industrial projects and residential projects, and his experience includes cases that have involved port facilities, hospitals, museums, water treatment facilities, glass furnaces, and steam boilers.

References

Please contact Mr. Meredith for a list of references.

Representative Recent Presentations

  • "Pitfalls and Possibilities: Litigating CD Coverage in Florida," West Coast Casualty Seminar, May 10, 2019
  • "Contractual Risk Transfer," CLM, September 2018
  • "Addressing Critical Coverage Issues Before, During, and After the Mediation," American Bar Association Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar, March 1–4, 2017
  • "Florida CD – Follow the Yellow Brick Road," CLM, September 2016
  • "Florida: Opening a Pandora’s Box and How to Close It,” West Coast Casualty Seminar, May 13, 2016
  • "U.S. Legal Insurance Environment," SCOR Business Solutions Casualty Seminar, Paris, France, October 19–20, 2009
  • "Known Loss and Continuing Damage," 15th Annual West Region Construction Defect & Construction Law Conference, September 17–18, 2009

ADR Profiles

“A Classroom for Mediation,” ADR Profile, Daily Journal, November 16, 2012

Background and Education

  • Mediator, JAMS, 2010–2016
  • Founding Partner, Meredith, Weinstein & Numbers, 1991–2010
  • Partner, Farella, Braun & Martel, 1986–1991; 1980–1981
  • Associate, Schlanger, Cook, Cohn, Mills & Grossberg, 1978–1980
  • J.D., Magna Cum Laude, Bates College of Law, University of Houston, 1978 (Order of the Barons and Recipient of American Jurisprudence Awards in Evidence, Trusts and Wills, and Bankruptcy)
  • B.S., Summa Cum Laude, University of Houston, 1975 (President’s Scholar)

Fees and Policies

Professional Fees

The professional fees of Craig S. Meredith are $7,000 per day and $3,500 per half day. This assumes no more than 10 hours in total session and preparation time. Fees for unused time are not refundable. Additional hours are billed at a rate of $700 per hour. Professional services, including but not limited to reading and other preparation time, session time, extra session time, and any additional services or work, will be billed at the neutral's normal rate.

Additional Fees

  • Expenses are billed at cost.
  • Travel: Travel time is not billed unless the neutral works on the case while traveling. Travel expenses are billed at cost.
  • Reading, Preparation, and Research Fees: Parties will be billed according to the neutral's fee schedule for reading, preparation (including pre-mediation telephone calls to counsel), and research time that exceeds the amounts assumed in the daily rates.
  • Fees will be divided among the parties according to their written agreement. Parties agree to pay their share of estimated fees and expenses at least 14 days prior to the session.
  • Zoom fees.

Cancellations

There are no cancellation penalties, but in the event that Mr. Meredith is charged nonrefundable travel cancellation fees (air, hotel, etc.), the canceling party will be obligated to reimburse those fees.

Counsel Comments

"[Craig's] work was masterful and I see now why the parties were insistent on bringing [his] talents to bear on this insurance-heavy, complicated, multi-party train wreck of a case."
"The dynamics and complexities of this case required a mediator with a very high level of skill — I'm convinced we could not have done it without [Craig's] special touch. Everyone on [our] side appreciated the effort that he put into the process."