Our Mediators
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Our Group consists of specialists. Besides extensive mediation experience, each member of the Group has one or more capabilities related to the challenges of these kinds of disputes: energy systems, toxic and hazardous waste clean-up, land use and environmental law, government agency processes, and large group decision processes.
From the Left: Rich Caputo, John Reaves, Barbara Filner, Michael Jenkins, Cary Lowe. |
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Qualifications of Members
Cary Lowe, Esq., PhD, AICP – Mediator/Facilitator (Retired)
Cary Lowe is a land use lawyer with over 40 years of experience representing developers, public agencies, Indian tribes, and non-profit organizations. He also is a credentialed mediator with the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) and a member of the Civil Mediation Panel of the San Diego Superior Court. He has mediated cases involving environmental regulations, planning, zoning, historic preservation, and property rights issues, and has facilitated land use planning and strategic planning meetings for both public agencies and private organizations. Mr. Lowe holds a Ph.D. in urban planning and has been admitted to the American Institute of Certified Planners. He has taught courses in law and urban planning at the University of Southern California, UCLA, and UC San Diego. He also has served in several appointed government positions, and he writes and lectures regularly on land use issues.
Richard Caputo, MSME – Mediator/Facilitator
Richard Caputo is a distinguished scientist who served as a manager at the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, designed energy systems for NASA, worked on numerous renewable energy projects, and provided an evaluation for the European Union of that region’s energy future. He has mediated for over 30 years, and was named Mediator of the Year by the Los Angeles County Bar Association in 1996 for mediating an interagency project of national scope. Mr. Caputo serves on the Board of the American Solar Energy Society, has been active in many other energy and environmental organizations, and has lectured and written widely regarding both energy issues and mediation.
Barbara Filner, MAT – Mediator/Facilitator
Barbara Filner was the founding director of the National Conflict Resolution Center's Training Institute, and has mediated over 500 cases in a 30 plus year career. She has an MAT from Indiana University, and has worked as a teacher, as a labor organizer, and in local and state government. As Director of the Training Institute, Ms. Filner conducted workshops on mediation, facilitation, and conflict resolution around the United States and in Europe and Asia, and trained a majority of the mediators currently practicing in San Diego. She has published numerous scholarly articles and co-authored four books on conflict resolution. Although not an attorney, she taught negotiations at the University of San Diego School of Law. Now retired from NCRC, Ms. Filner continues to mediate actively both in San Diego and abroad, specializing in cross-cultural conflict resolution and in designing processes that involve participation of large groups.
John Reaves, Esq. – Mediator/Facilitator
John Reaves has practiced environmental, business, and insurance litigation for decades, representing oil companies, industrial concerns, business owners, dairies, and property owners. He specializes in issues involving hazardous materials and clean-up, as well as business insurance issues. He co-chaired the San Diego County Bar Association’s Environmental Law section for nearly 20 years and has written and made presentations extensively in the environmental field. He has been active in the environmental community addressing climate change issues. In 2019, he was appointed by the Santa Barbara Superior Court to serve as a Settlement Master to try to resolve litigated matters shortly before trial. Located in both San Diego and Santa Barbara Counties.
Contact information: (805) 693-9990 / john@reaves.com
Contact information: (805) 693-9990 / john@reaves.com
Michael D. Jenkins, JD – Mediator/Facilitator
Michael D. Jenkins is an attorney, now retired, and mediator with extensive experience in the planning and land use fields. Mr. Jenkins has over 30 years experience as a manager in or an attorney working with public agencies in Illinois and California, including with the City of San Diego’s Community and Economic Development Department. He has over 20 years experience as a mediator and large group facilitator, earning a mediator credential from NCRC and mediating over 500 cases involving a broad range of issues including personal injury, shareholder disputes, discrimination, CEQA, zoning, etc. Mr. Jenkins mediated with the San Diego City Attorney’s Environmental Mediation Program in the early 1990’s, and serves on the San Diego Superior Court’s civil and probate mediation panels. He taught negotiation at the University of San Diego School of Law, and taught advanced mediation skills at both Thomas Jefferson School of Law and NCRC. He currently serves on the Board of Civic San Diego.
Steven P. McDonald, Esq. -- Mediator/Facilitator
Steven P. McDonald is an environmental lawyer with nearly 40 years of experience in air, hazardous waste, water quality and natural resource permitting and litigation. He has represented a broad range of clients – private industry, public agencies, citizen groups, Indian tribes and individuals – both prosecuting and defending environmental and land-use issues. He served as common counsel on the largest State-led Superfund Site in California and facilitated not only settlements with public agencies but the allocation of responsibility among 55 potentially-responsible parties. He is an NCRC-credentialed mediator and member of the San Diego Superior Court Civil Mediation Panel. Mr. McDonald holds a 30 year AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell and has received honors as both a San Diego and Southern California Top Attorney.
Contact information: 858-551-1185 /
smcdonald@themcdonaldlawfirm.com
Contact information: 858-551-1185 /
smcdonald@themcdonaldlawfirm.com
As needed, the Land Use and Environmental Mediation Group has access to the services of other highly qualified mediators with specialized knowledge or skills, including languages.