For retired judge Daniel Ramirez, mediation is about finding peace

Travel has been a priority for retired Los Angeles County Judge Daniel P. Ramirez since he left the bench in early 2020. Visits to Thailand, Israel, Turkey, Greece, England, and Scotland exposed him to different cultures, but he said he came away with the same basic observation.

"People -- no matter where you go -- we're all looking for peace and security," Ramirez said.

A former prosecutor who spent more than two decades on the bench, Ramirez believes litigation often undermines both.

"Litigation is the antithesis of peace and security," he said.

Ramirez joined ADR Services Inc. in 2025 and now handles a broad range of family law, commercial and real estate disputes. Although he is available for arbitrations, his primary focus is mediation.

"I love doing mediations because I feel like I get to play a role in helping people move forward with their lives," he said. "That's worth more than anything else."

The retired judge said some of the most rewarding moments come when litigants finally resolve a long-running dispute.

"I've seen the most hardened individuals cry," Ramirez recalled.

That process begins well before mediation day. Ramirez said he spends significant time reviewing briefs, researching issues and speaking with attorneys beforehand by phone or Zoom.

He also emphasizes preparation.

"I emphasize to counsel to prepare the client with the mindset that we're not entering mediation to litigate the merits of the case. We're entering mediation to settle the case," Ramirez said. "It's really important that they understand the mediator cannot make any decisions on the case, so litigating the merits of the case often is futile. But having the mindset that we're there to settle the case really brings a different focus."

Ramirez believes successful mediations require understanding more than legal positions.

"It's about finding and meeting the underlying interests of the client," he explained. "So, I ask questions because I want know, 'What are their needs? What are their fears? What is it that is really underlying those interests? What are their concerns?'"

Norwalk family law attorney Diana M. Fukushima, who appeared before Ramirez when he was on the bench and recently used him to resolve a complex divorce matter, said his empathy stands out.

"He's understanding, and he's empathetic, and I think that is very, very helpful," Fukushima said. "Because we're talking about people's lives and their assets and how they move forward, and he understands that on a level that I think is really important and sometimes gets missed."

Los Angeles certified family law specialist Charles M. Green also appeared before Ramirez as a judge and recently used him as a mediator. Green praised Ramirez's calm and respectful demeanor.

"I've worked with other mediators that tried to browbeat litigants, and I find that to be a very bad strategy," Green said. "Clients are trusting us not to put them into a hostile situation, [and] with Judge Daniel Ramirez, I am confident he's going to be very respectful to my clients, and he's going to have competent, reasonable settlement strategies."

Green said that approach helps protect clients from unnecessary stress.

"I want to be more of a shepherd to my client and protect them from unnecessary stress," he said. "And to especially protect them from a situation where a mediator is not being respectful of their concerns and their settlement positions."

Ramirez said one of his first objectives in mediation is discouraging ultimatums.

"Because ultimatums stifle creativity, and we want to be open to different types of offers," he explained.

He said he also encourages parties to stay engaged regardless of how negotiations unfold.

"No matter how unreasonable an offer might be we stay at the table. We will not leave the table. I am relentless when it comes to pursuing a fair settlement," he said.

San Francisco plaintiffs' attorney Rahman A. Popal recently used Ramirez to resolve a difficult landlord-tenant dispute and described his approach as pragmatic and unusually transparent.

"I've done hundreds of mediations, many with retired judges," Popal said. "Often, judges use their experience to make the process seem more uncertain and complicated. Judge Ramirez did the opposite. He used his experience to demystify the process and help my client understand her options."

According to Popal, Ramirez helped the client evaluate the practical realities of continued litigation without pressuring her toward a particular outcome.

"I've done hundreds of mediations, and a lot of them with retired judges, and very often I find that retired judges almost weaponize their experience to mystify the process to the parties - plaintiffs and defendants - to make everything seem more difficult and less certain," Popal said. "Judge Ramirez did the exact opposite. He used his experience to help to demystify the process and to give my client control over her life and the decision of whether or not to settle and to give her clarity as to what would be entailed in litigating the case further and understanding those implications."

A 1987 graduate of Western State University College of Law, Ramirez spent five years as a deputy district attorney before Gov. Pete Wilson appointed him to the bench in 1994. After retiring in February 2020, he served for several years as a temporary assigned judge, conducting mandatory settlement conferences and handling family law matters in courts throughout California.

Today, Ramirez frequently draws on both his trial experience and more than 25 years on the bench while helping parties evaluate risk.

"No case is ironclad," he said. "Nobody can tell you what is going to occur at trial. But I can guarantee you that your litigation costs are going to go up, and your stress is going to go up."

For Ramirez, that reality reinforces the lesson he says he learned while traveling the world: most people are searching for peace, security, and a way forward. His goal as a mediator is to help them find it.

Here are some attorneys who have used Ramirez's services: Rahman A. Popal, The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc.; Charles M. Green, Charles M. Green APLC; Diana M. Fukushima, Law Offices of Paul Jay Fukushima; Sonal D. Imbulamure, Tredway Lumsdaine & Doyle LLP; Matthew S. Shahon, Koestner & Shahon