Dirk Bruinsma, Esq.

Mediator & Arbitrator

Education    

• Grand Valley State University     B.S.
• Thomas M. Cooley Law School   J.D.
• Pepperdine University Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution
• Certificate Conflict Management

Professional

• The Law Offices of Dirk Bruinsma Michigan 1978-1982
• Bruinsma & Caffray Attorneys 1982-1983
• The Law Offices of Dirk Bruinsma 1984-1992
• Fields & Creason Attorneys 1992-1994
• Bruinsma & Hewitt LLP 1995-2002
• The Law Offices of Dirk Bruinsma 2002-present
• State Bar of California 1982 and Admitted to practice
• U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth, Fifth, Ninth Circuits
• U.S. District Courts Michigan, TX, IL, MD, WA
• U.S. District Courts CA-Central, Eastern, Southern
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
• American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA)
• California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)

Expertise

Litigation and trial practice since 1978 with dozens of trials to verdict. Employment focus including: age, race, sex, pregnancy, wage/hour, retaliation, whistleblower, class actions.  Sub-category: business disputes, real estate, construction defect, public works, construction site injury, professional malpractice, personal injury, automobile liability, products.

A.D.R. Experience    

Mr. Bruinsma is certified in compliance with the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act bringing substantial experience to ADR. The Los Angeles Superior Court awarded him for his accomplishments “The 2008 All Purpose Mediator of the Year.” Today, after 34 years of trial and dispute resolution experience he has maintained a steadily increasing record in resolving difficult disputes in Mediations and Arbitrations which has deservedly gained him the broad respect of both plaintiff attorneys and defense counsel.  Mr. Bruinsma is an independent, non-exclusive neutral and travels to Northern and Southern California.