Career Highlights: Anthony S. Khoury is a neutral with Alternative Resolution Centers with more than 20 years' experience in the legal industry, most recently as a Court Commissioner in Kern County (before becoming a full-time neutral). His practice areas include employment, business/contracts/real estate, family law/divorce mediation, personal injury, bad faith/insurance coverage, class actions, and construction. While on the bench in Kern County, Khoury created a civil mediation program for limited civil, small claims, unlawful detainer, and civil harassment matters. He established a voluntary settlement program for family law matters and served as a mandatory settlement conference judge for unlimited civil matters. Khoury is also on the American Arbitration Association's National Roster of Employment Arbitrators and is an Adjunct Lecturer in Law at USC Gould School of Law.
Law School: Washington University, St. Louis
Alternative Resolution Centers
Employment, personal injury, commercial, construction, family law, insurance
Rather than letting negotiations devolve into an endless exchange of settlement numbers, Anthony S. Khoury encourages litigants to focus on where they ultimately want to end up.
"I really try to encourage parties to have a big picture approach," Khoury said. "I really try to get parties to focus on the end game and what is it we need to do in order to get there."
That philosophy has helped shape Khoury's practice since he joined Alternative Resolution Centers in the summer of 2023. The former Kern County Superior Court commissioner now mediates and arbitrates employment, personal injury, commercial, construction and family law disputes, although employment matters make up nearly all his arbitration practice.
A 2004 graduate of Washington University School of Law, Khoury began his legal career as a prosecutor with the Solano County District Attorney's Office before opening his own practice, handling criminal defense and employment matters. He was appointed a Kern County Superior Court commissioner in November 2021.
"I was honored to serve on the bench, and I loved the work," Khoury said.
His assignment exposed him to virtually every type of proceeding, including family law, civil, criminal, traffic, misdemeanor jury trials, small claims, and restraining orders. But the job also required extensive travel between Bakersfield and courthouses in Mojave and Ridgecrest.
"Within a year, I think I'd put 42,000 miles on my car," Khoury recalled. "I realized that probably wasn't the best for me long-term."
Today, he says he strives to keep both mediations and arbitrations efficient while minimizing unnecessary procedural hurdles.
"I'm not going to make life more difficult on the parties than it needs to be," he said. "I want it to be as easy as possible for them to put their case on and not feel inconvenienced by the process."
He also emphasizes creating a collaborative atmosphere.
"I want things to be amicable," Khoury said. "I want the process to be pleasant."
His broad judicial experience has made him something of a generalist, he said, capable of handling disputes well beyond his primary practice areas.
"My craft is that I'm good at helping people resolve disputes -- whatever the dispute may be," he said.
Los Angeles litigator Lillian C. Harwell said that versatility has been evident in several personal injury and housing matters she has mediated before Khoury.
"Anthony can handle any kind of case," Harwell said. "He's efficient and creative, and he's not a numbers runner. You're dealing with somebody who has his eyes on the prize and is trying to get to the end game."
Los Angeles plaintiffs' attorney Ted K. Lippincott, who has used Khoury in three employment mediations, agreed that the former commissioner keeps parties focused on resolution rather than incremental bargaining.
"Just shuttling numbers back and forth can really dampen the mood," Lippincott said. "Anthony's always looking at the bigger picture."
Lippincott also praised Khoury's ability to communicate directly with Spanish-speaking clients and to candidly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a case.
"He can cut through some of that and bring an objective voice, but he does it in a way that's not condescending," Lippincott said. "He's a straight shooter about how he thinks the law might be interpreted."
Khoury said that candor works best when attorneys are equally forthcoming.
"Don't be afraid to share [weaknesses] with me because I'm trying to help you," he said. "Don't feel like you need to put on a show for me."
San Diego plaintiffs' attorney Matthew K. Majd said preparation is another hallmark of Khoury's practice.
"This guy knows the case inside and out," Majd said. "He genuinely comes with a passion to get the case resolved."
Majd added that Khoury is willing to confront difficult facts directly, a quality he believes gives the neutral added credibility with both sides.
"He's not afraid to address bad facts," Majd said. "In my eyes, that gives him more credibility."
Here are some attorneys who have used Khoury's services: Ted K. Lippincott, Levine & Blit LLP; Lillian C. Harwell, Nguyen Lawyers ALC; Matthew K. Majd, San Diego Injury Law Center; Anna Okhovat, Okhovat Law Firm; Franklin J. Contreras, Shulman Bastian Friedman Bui & O'Dea LLP