About Myer J. Sankary

Click Here to read an article about Myer Sankary from the Los Angeles Daily Journal

For information about Mr. Sankary’s services, please call 818-231-2965. Mr. Sankary provides an initial free consultation about your dispute and will offer helpful insights and suggestions.

See: http://www.valleybarmediationcenter.com

For Myer Sankary’s full resume in printable format, please click here.

Bio of Myer J. Sankary, Advanced Mediation and Arbitration Services

MANAGING CONFLICT is a dynamic and systematic approach for individuals, businesses, and organizations to increase value by reducing the costs of conflict. Unresolved conflicts often spiral out of control and inflict irreparable financial and emotional harm to the parties and their relationships. Mr. Sankary draws on over 50 years of legal experience in diverse areas of litigation, business, probate and estates, as well as his training, experience and skills in social science, psychology, and negotiations to bring about resolution of disputes where the parties often achieve maximum satisfaction of their interests beyond their expectations. Ways in which services are provided:

• Traditional Mediator and Arbitrator of disputes already in litigation
• Neutral Facilitator of disputes before the parties invest in litigation
• Mediating complex organizational disputes such as chartered schools, sports organizations, teachers associations and a variety of business organization.
• Advisor and consultant to parties about managing specific disputes within organizations and between individuals and family members before they spiral out of control
• Representing parties in mediation proceedings
• Designer of Conflict Management Systems to reduce costs of conflict for organizations

Mr. Sankary has practiced law as a litigator and transactional attorney since 1966 in diverse areas of law which include the following: corporate and business transactions and disputes, contracts, including U.C.C., probate, wills, trusts, conservatorships, family law, real estate, construction disputes, employment law, including discrimination, intellectual property matters, trade secrets, and a variety of tort actions including personal injury, premise liability, and product liability. He has the highest AV peer ratings by attorneys and judges from Martindale & Hubbell for both ethics and competency. He has been designated by his peers as a Super Lawyer for the past 6 years. And has an AVVO rating of 9+.

Organizations:

Mr. Sankary is the President and Program Manager of the Valley Bar Mediation Center, (VBMC) a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the benefits of resolving disputes through mediation and to reduce the burden on the courts by offering highest quality affordable mediation to all civil litigants. The Los Angeles Superior Court has selected the VBMC as one of only two Vendor Resources to offer affordable mediation by a panel of independent highly qualified lawyer-mediators. Please visit www.valleybarmediationcenter.com

Mr. Sankary is active in numerous other civic organizations, including Southern California Mediation Center (SCMA) and the American Friends of the Oasis of Peace (Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salam), the only community in Israel where Arabs and Jews have lived together peacefully for over 40 years. He was the founder and director of the Middle East Peace Network, a non-profit corporation which supports conflict resolution, peace and democracy in the Middle East. Visit www.peacenetwork.org. He is past Chairman of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Section of the State Bar of California.

ADR Experience

Mr. Sankary’s career in ADR is extensive, starting with family law mediation as early as 1985. Based upon his research, training and experience, Mr. Sankary is particularly astute in assisting attorneys and their clients in the negotiating process during mediation and is sensitive to cross-cultural, psychological and personality issues which may affect the attitudes of parties in the dispute.

• Mediator/Arbitrator, Los Angeles Superior Court and Probate Court Panel of Mediators from 1996 to 2013
• San Fernando Valley Bar Representative to the Los Angeles Superior Court ADR Committee 2005 to 2013
• San Fernando Valley Bar Association Court Preferred Panel of Mediators & Mentors Arbitrator
• Kaiser Permanente Arbitration Panel
• Panel member with ADR Services, Inc. from 2008 until 2016
• Advanced Mediation and Arbitration Services, Independent Mediator Arbitrator from 1996 to present

Professional Affiliations

Past President, Southern California Mediation Association; Chairman of San Fernando Valley Bar Association Mandatory Fee Arbitration committee; former member of State Bar Mandatory Fee Arbitration Committee, former member ADR Committee of State Bar of California, Dispute Resolution Services, Member of Probate and Estate Sections of Los Angeles County Bar and State Bar of California, former member L.A. Consumer Lawyers Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association; San Fernando Valley Bar Association; and member of State Bar of California (since 1966). Former Chairman of the Solo and Small Firm Section of the State Bar of California. Founding member of non-profit organization for mediating elder adult issues – Adult Resolution and Mediation Services. Trained by ARMS at first program focusing on elder adult issues. President of The Valley Bar Mediation Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Background and Experience

• Excellent communication skills, both listening and explaining complex issues
• Trained in the science of influence by internationally recognized social scientist, Dr. Robert Cialdini of Arizona State – designated as Certified Trainer for the Cialdini Principles of Persuasion Workshop in 2006
• Empathy, patience, understanding, and sensitivity to personal and emotional issues – these are qualities by which Mr. Sankary gains the trust of the parties
• Strategic negotiating skills based upon current research and application of advanced theories developed in universities and used by highly successful negotiators
• Experience and knowledge of substance and procedures in business and legal matters
• Creative problem solving and brainstorming techniques – offering sound solutions to perplexing disputes using interpersonal skills to gain acceptance
• Serves as court appointed independent conservator and trustee in cases of conflict

Dispute Resolution Training and Teaching:

• Pepperdine Law School Mediating the Litigated Case, Straus Institute beginning 1996
• Pepperdine Law School Mediation Masters Forum, Straus Institute
• Pepperdine Law School, Negotiating Techniques in Mediation, Professor Randy Lowry
• Civil and Probate Mediation Training, by James C. Melamed , J. D., Mediation Center, Inc.
• Mediation Workshop at School For Peace, at Latrun, Israel in 1996.
• Difficult Parties and Cross-cultural Issues in Mediation Cases, State Bar of California

Mediation Training Courses Given by Mr. Sankary include:

• University of Southern California, Marshall Graduate School of Business, Negotiation Strategies in Mediation
• U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of California, Use of Mediation
• Mediating the Probate Dispute, San Fernando Valley Bar
• Lecturer, State Bar of California, and author of “Mediation-How to Negotiate the Best Deal for Your Client”
• Trained as Online Mediator with Onlineresolution.com
• Cialdini’s Principles of Persuasion Workshop – certified trainer

Education

• Straus Institute, Pepperdine Law School, Malibu, Dispute Resolution Training programs 1996 to present
• Harvard Law School, J.D., Cambridge, Mass., 1965, [Admitted in State Bar of California in 1966]
• Texas Christian University, BA, Philosophy and Metaphysics, Ft. worth, Texas, 1962 [summa cum laude]

Myer Sankary Received ABA Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Bar Association General, Solo & Small Firm Section awarded Myer Sankary the 2002 Donald Rikli Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding services rendered on behalf of lawyers in California and the nation. Mr. Sankary has provided extensive services to the legal profession as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Solo & Small Firm Section of the State Bar of California and has been responsible for promoting extensive educational programs as well as a web based Mentor Directory which assists attorneys to provide better services under the auspices of an experienced mentor. The award was presented to Mr. Sankary in Washington D.C

Personal background

Mr. Sankary was born and raised in Ft. Worth, Texas, the youngest of 10. He won a scholarship for a Year in Israel course in 1957 where he studied in Jerusalem and worked on Moshavim and Kibbutzim, with many jobs including as a shepherd and fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. He received a full scholarship to TCU on his return and majored in Philosophy, graduating summa cum laude. During the summer at Harvard Law School, he worked with Henry Kissinger and other academics on the first nuclear non-proliferating treaties with the Soviet leaders, including Sedov (father of Sputnik) and Milionchikov (head of Soviet military). He is married to Sandy Sankary; they will soon be celebrating their 50th anniversary. He has two adult children. His son lives permanently in Madrid with his wife and 2 daughters. And his daughter lives in LA with Myer’s granddaughter. Myer and his wife have traveled to over 100 countries in their 50 years together and they regularly spend two months or more in Madrid and other countries abroad every year.