Law Offices of Paul Garrison

Law Offices of Paul Garrison Let me help you resolve your dispute. As an experienced Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Workplace I

Last week, I attended the LERA National convention in Minneapolis, MN. I had the pleasure to serve as a panelist on Lega...
06/02/2026

Last week, I attended the LERA National convention in Minneapolis, MN. I had the pleasure to serve as a panelist on Legal Trends in Arbitration.

My co-panelists were Mishell Parreno Taylor and Amy Moor Ga***rd, both distinguished attorneys with Ackerman, LLP, who represented the management and labor perspective, respectively. I am a Neutral with JAMS handling mediations, arbitrations and discovery referee work, and I opined from that perspective.

Thanks to JAMS’ Joanne St. Louis who served as the Moderator and we also received a solid assist from Shakiya Wright-McDuffie.

I am proud to say that JAMS was a conference sponsor as was the Cornell University ILR School, of which I am a proud alumnus.

Special recognition from LERA’s leadership was given to my friends and distinguished colleagues, Mark Gaston Pierce (Lifetime Achievement) and Homer LaRue (Award of Merit).

Another heavy hitter present was former NLRB board member, Gywnne Wilcox.

There were many interesting speakers and timely topics that made attendance truly worthwhile.

Last week, I participated in the National Academy of Arbitrators’ Annual Meeting and Education conference in Chicago, Il...
05/27/2026

Last week, I participated in the National Academy of Arbitrators’ Annual Meeting and Education conference in Chicago, Illinois. We did so at the Intercontinental Hotel only steps from the river. It was a great time to share best practices and learn about recent trends. From college sports to public relations, we heard from the Academy experts about how to effectively maintain our practices in this ever-changing world.

I am proud that JAMS was a sponsor and I was featured so prominently. I am available to hear your disputes as a Mediator, Arbitrator or Referee.

Downtown and the City were bustling in “The City with Big Shoulders” rich in architecture, food and down home blues! A good time was had by all!

I congratulate the California Association of Black Lawyers (“CABL”) on its 49th annual conference in Oakland, CA this pa...
04/16/2026

I congratulate the California Association of Black Lawyers (“CABL”) on its 49th annual conference in Oakland, CA this past week. Under the leadership of Tamara C. Michael and the Board of Directors, it was yet another successful gathering to be informed, gain insights regarding contemporary legal issues and to celebrate our achievements. I was very pleased to have experienced conference activities, see many colleagues and friends and to make new ones to add to my network.

I was also proud that JAMS was a supporter of the conference as I am a neutral (mediator, arbitrator and discovery referee) on its panel. I am happy to serve you and your clients by helping you identify the alternative way forward beyond conflicts in business and employment matters.

Last week, I attended the 5th annual California International Arbitration Week conference in San Francisco. Sponsored b...
03/16/2026

Last week, I attended the 5th annual California International Arbitration Week conference in San Francisco. Sponsored by JAMS, I was proud to serve on its distinguished panel of neutrals as both a mediator and arbitrator. Although I did not present, it was a privilege and a great opportunity to take it all in and network with other neutrals, advocates and industry experts worldwide. I reflected on my past work experience as a senior in-house lawyer and executive for a global concern with business dealings in Latin America and Australia. I will drawn upon it now as a neutral as appropriate with international clients.

03/02/2026

On the last day of Black History Month, I honor the life and legacy of Charles Hamilton Houston. He was an excellent attorney, a genius even, who was dubbed the “Killer of Jim Crow.” This was because of his legal ingenuity that ended de jure segregation in housing and education and other areas of civil rights by bringing law suits in state courts rather than federal ones.

This allowed him to dismantle the legal precedent set in Plessy v Ferguson by arguing that “separate but equal” was not the reality among blacks versus whites the result of which violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

His father was a lawyer and his mother was a teacher. They emphasized the importance of education in his upbringing. Young Charles attended elite schools in Washington, DC. He went to Harvard Law School where he earned the distinction of serving on the Law Review.

After law school, he was soon recruited to serve as Howard Law School’s Dean. He quietly built the law school from an evening unaccredited school to one of prominence and prestige.

He left Howard to return to the practice of law as a civil rights lawyer for the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund. He recruited his mentee, Thurgood Marshall and others like William Hastie and Spotswood Robinson. Thurgood Marshall later became a Supreme Court Justice.

Due to work-related stress, Attorney Houston became ill and died - before seeing the fruit of his labor where the highest court in the land handed down the decision desegregating public schools in Brown v. Board of Education. Thanks to Charles Hamilton’s stewardship and to Thurgood Marshall’s advocacy.

Charles Houston believed that lawyers should use their talent for the greater good: either be a social engineer or a parasite on society.

As a lawyer, Mediator and Arbitrator, I am determined to honor his legacy by doing good for society in part through my work. Locally, I am a member of the Charles Houston Bar Association. I am a proud lifetime member as demonstrated by my wearing this handsome jacket.

Thank you Charles Houston!

Happy Black History Month!

Last week, I had the privilege of representing JAMS at two bar association events and the opportunity to speak to the me...
01/28/2026

Last week, I had the privilege of representing JAMS at two bar association events and the opportunity to speak to the members and attendees about the value proposition of choosing JAMS as your preferred neutral services provider.

First up was the Alameda County Bar Association’s 2026 Installation and Distinguished Service Awards. The keynote speaker, UC Berkeley Law School Dean, Erwin Chemerinsky, gave a timely address on constitutional law and the current state of affairs. He is regarded as an expert in this area of the law and his remarks did not disappoint as the audience was kept in rapt attention.

Second, I addressed the audience at the Contra Costa County Bar Association’s Diversity luncheon where it recognized individuals who are trailblazers worth emulating in this challenging times. It also installed its new slate of officers.

Kudos to both organizations and its new leaders who are doing the hard work to keep their respective bars active, vibrant and engaged concerning legal affairs and the communities they serve.

Remember when you or your clients experience conflict and you seek an alternative to protracted and costly litigation, consider JAMS. I am happy to earn your trust as your preferred neutral services provider. I also enjoy repeat business so thank you to my clients. Wishing everyone a prosperous new year!

I was pleased to attend the 38th Annual California Employment Lawyers Association (“CELA”) conference last week. It was ...
10/27/2025

I was pleased to attend the 38th Annual California Employment Lawyers Association (“CELA”) conference last week. It was a incredible program on contemporary legal issues presented by top notch speakers in San Francisco’s historic Union Square. I was able to network with many attorneys that have engaged me to serve as a mediator or arbitrator in their cases over the years and I met new colleagues. I am proud that JAMS was a sponsor!

Last week, I attended the National Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law conference in New York City and participated...
10/20/2025

Last week, I attended the National Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law conference in New York City and participated as a panelist on the status of arbitration and legal trends. Moderated by Arbitrator Dean Burrell, the panelists offered perspectives from neutrals and both plaintiffs and defense lawyers on the topic. As a neutral on the panel, I was proud that JAMS was a sponsor.

Suffice it to say, across the nation, higher courts are enforcing arbitration agreements where the terms are clear and both parties assent to resolve disputes in arbitration; discovery is available; joint selection of the arbitrator occurs and the document generally follows contract principles. When this happens, the parties cannot litigate their underlying dispute in court but in arbitration as they had previously agreed. This principle applies whether the consent is given by clicking a button digitally in an electronic format or executed in a traditional, written document. The idea is that the parties should enter into the agreement knowingly and in even-handed manner. Scope and fee disputes are also within the ambit of the arbitrator, not courts. This bodes well for those who want a faster, more efficient way to resolve disputes as arbitration is intended to be.

At this well-attended event, many timely topics and legal trends were discussed in various areas of employment and labor law.

After business ended, I enjoyed re-connecting with other neutrals and lawyers and gallivanting about in the Big Apple!

It's nice to be appreciated. This came today unexpectedly and belatedly from the ADR Mediation Program of the California...
07/25/2025

It's nice to be appreciated. This came today unexpectedly and belatedly from the ADR Mediation Program of the California Superior Court of Alameda County where Oakland and Berkeley sit.

Last week, I enjoyed being a Panelist at the Labor and Employment Relations Association (“LERA”) conference in Seattle, ...
06/16/2025

Last week, I enjoyed being a Panelist at the Labor and Employment Relations Association (“LERA”) conference in Seattle, WA. The conference theme was: “Promoting Authentic Dialogue in Polarized Times.” How timely, right?!

The panel topic dealt with the fallout from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, Loper Bright v. Secretary of Commerce, overturning the Chevron doctrine where courts for the last few decades have deferred to Agencies in determining legal questions given their presumed expertise. Was such deference lawful or unconstitutional overreach since only courts, not the executive branch, are authorized to resolve cases and controversies? Is it ok for agencies to fill in the gaps where statutes are silent or ambiguous? Apparently not according to this iteration of our land’s highest court.

We had a robust discussion about Loper Bright’s impact on federal and state courts and, of course, the work of agencies in rule-making and legal interpretation. Should we be concerned, welcome the change in jurisprudence or consider it to be much ado about nothing in the years ahead? How should clients be advised in the here and now?

Our fear that this topic would be too esoteric to draw a crowd was unfounded because we had great attendance and interest. Thanks to Claire Lesikar who moderated the discussion and my able co-panelists, Elliott Dandy, April Madison-Ramsey and Michael Berkheimer. Kudos to JAMS for its conference sponsorship!

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1300 Clay Street, Ste 600
Oakland, CA
94612

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Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
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