Accolades

What People Are Saying.

I've been a litigation attorney for 16 years and have had the opportunity to work with numerous expert witnesses. I can honestly state that you are one of the very best. You are a consummate professional whose insight and creativity were instrumental in securing a favorable resolution for our client. It was a pleasure working with you on this case.

-- Barry Gassman, attorney

On two occasions over the past year I have used Mr. Berliner as a mediator in civil suits. I was not hopeful of a resolution in either case because these were instances where both sides were vehement (I mean foaming at the mouth!) to such an extent as to border on the irrational. In both cases Bob established rapport with the parties and in a matter of a few hours brought both matters to satisfactory conclusions. As in most matters nobody got everything they wanted, as they would not in the event of trial. The difference is that Bob brings everybody into agreement. I don't know how he did it but on both occasions the parties were even friendly to each other after mediation with Bob. I cannot recommend Mr. Berliner highly enough.

-- Scott Delaney, attorney

...your conduct both prior to and during the mediation was clearly a breath of fresh air in dealing with mediators. In the limited time that you had, you digested the numerous documents that the parties submitted, analyzed them and were able to address and resolve the issues that existed between the parties.

[D]uring the mediation...[y]ou kept the parties focused on trying to resolve this case... Most importantly, you exhibited fairness to both sides so that a more than five year old case could reach a long awaited resolution. Further, you injected non-monetary matters into the mediation process which were vital in reaching an accord.

I look forward to the next case in which you can mediate for one of my clients.

-- Joel F. Handler, attorney

It was not until you took on this case as the mediator that it was resolved. I especially appreciate the time you spent to get an understanding of the facts and issues in the case... [Y]ou have the ideal demeanor to work as a mediator; you know how to press on to achieve a resolution of the case while maintaining a pleasant attitude, using your expensive practical experience and knowledge of people and personalities to bring the matter to a successful conclusion. Everything you did in the mediation instilled a sense of confidence in you as a fair and competent person.

I heartily recommend you to anyone who is seeking to resolve their case by mediation.

-- James P. Wognum, attorney

Mr. Berliner mediated a very emotionally charged case. Prior to the mediation, I was holding out extremely thin hope that this matter would settle without additional litigation. In a very fair and impartial manner, Mr. Berliner helped each side reach the core issues of the case. He allowed each side to vent their frustrations with the other, while also assisting each to understand the other's position. In addition, he understood the most important aspects of the conflicting arguments that needed to be emphasized to each party in order to reach a common sense agreement. I can also justly say the suggestions Mr. Berliner made regarding the procedure of the mediation conference itself helped the parties settle the case. While neither party got exactly what it wanted, I believe each party left with the feeling that, by actively participating in the settlement process, they fashioned a fair resolution. Given that Mr. Berliner helped resolve a case I was certain was headed for further litigation, I definitely recommend him for his ADR skills.

-- James Webb, attorney

..I would like to thank you for your gracious, professional assistance in mediating the dispute between my client...and our adversary...

As you know, the parties have been in a contentious relationship over many years, and this lawsuit was the second between the parties over the last three years. You were able to control the discussion of the facts as between the parties. Your insight to the legal issues led to the prompt discussion of settlement. This valuable assistance led to the agreement between the parties...

Thank you for your counsel, your patience, and your command of an otherwise litigious matter... You are truly a valuable aid to the court's time and case management...

-- Wayne M. Kwiat, Sr., attorney for the plaintiff

I want to commend you on the job you did last Wednesday as a mediator. You took a very volatile situation and kept the parties under control and worked out an amicable resolution of the matter. I would recommend you in the future.

-- David Spada, attorney for defendant in same case

I recently had the opportunity to have mediator, Robert W. Berliner, Jr. mediate the settlement of a lawsuit in court. Mr. Berliner is an attorney with more than thirty-five years of experience... He regularly volunteers to mediate... The Judge calls him a "genius."

Mr. Berliner successfully mediated a conclusion to my client's case. In the beginning, I was reluctant to mediate this case, because I never thought it could be successfully mediated, but now I truly believe in the mediation process and Mr. Berliner's ability as a mediator.

I highly recommend Robert W. Berliner, Jr. to be your mediator...

-- Wayne S. Shapiro, attorney

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your expertise and invaluable assistance in mediating the above referenced dispute... [W]e were scheduled for trial on a... case that had become very heated.

I cannot tell you how relieved I was when you agreed to mediate this dispute. After you had an opportunity to talk with each client and you allowed each one to vent their feelings and explain their positions the mood of the dispute was totally different. Clearly this case would not have ended in an agreed settled without your assistance.

Once again, thank you for helping two attorneys and the court system resolve this matter. It was very obvious that you are a gifted mediator.

-- James R. Wheeler, attorney for the plaintiff

I am writing in regards to the recent mediation you administered... I wanted to commend you for the professional objectivity in presenting both parties' argument. Your experience and insight provided a clear perspective for my client. Because of your involvement as the mediator, I believe both parties came to a settlement agreement that was satisfying for all. If anyone is in need of a mediator, I guarantee he or she will benefit from your involvement.

-- Terrance Elliott Barker, attorney for defendant in same case

I wanted to take the time to thank you for everything you did to help my husband and I be able to settle our dispute.

You went over and above, in effort, with all of the phone calls back and forth, and making sure we maintained a level of composure with regard to the aspects of extreme frustration this ordeal has caused both of us. I sincerely appreciate that.

You offered great suggestions & logical thought as to how this whole ordeal should be handled and what the various outcomes might be, if we were not able to come to a mutual settlement.

We are happy that we finally got ___ to settle with us.

I will definitely recommend you to anyone I know of who may be looking for a mediator.

Mr. Berliner volunteered to tackle one of the most difficult, challenging and ugly types of cases, former friends arguing over personal property. He spent considerable time persuading the parties that the matter was best dealt with face to face and outside of court. While I was hopeful he would succeed, I doubted that an out of court settlement was possible. With the trial date rapidly approaching, he got the parties to agree to meet in person to exchange the property and dismiss the case. I thank Mr. Berliner for his personal attention to a matter where I believe my client was able to walk away with an acceptable settlement and avoid an uncertain trial.

-- Jeffrey Prendki, attorney

You were the mediator in a recent... case... I would like it to be known that you did a wonderful and professional job during that time. With that being said, I would highly recommend your services both to my clients and colleagues.

-- Mary Davis, attorney

It was a pleasure to meet you today and have the mediation experience. You're a natural for it and I will highly recommend you.

-- Wayne S. Shapiro, attorney

Mr. Berliner was the mediator in a claim in which I (an attorney) had employed an expert in a medical malpractice claim. The expert sued me for the fee and I counter-claimed that the expert had not performed the contract. It was very complicated and I did not want to settle it. Mr.Berliner handled the matter deftly and patiently. Although I did not believe it was possible to settle, he prevailed on both parties and we did settle it. It saved me much time and cost and I am grateful for his expertise in negotiating this settlement.

-- George Troha, attorney

Thanks for [mediating]... the above matter to resolution... I was impressed with the amount of time and the liberal parameters that you gave to both sides to enable them to explain and justify their positions. I was also pleased with your persuasiveness in getting the sides to agree.

-- Dennis Porick, attorney for plaintiff

I recently had the pleasure of working with Bob Berliner as a mediator in a matter I had pending in the Circuit Court of Will County. This particular case appeared extremely unlikely to settle due to the animosity of the parties.

Both parties agreed to the mediation just before Trial began.

Mr. Berliner did an excellent job of cutting through the anger and allowed the parties to focus on the issues at hand. He grasped the issues in the matter very quickly thus allowing the bulk of the time to be spent on potential settlement of the case.

We reached a settlement within a couple of hours and both clients appeared to be happy with the final result.

I believe alternative dispute resolution can be a litigator's best tool. The right mediator... can effectively use the parties' time and understand the risk / reward scenario that almost always exists in a trial setting. Bob possesses the correct people skills to gain the confidence of the client and thus give credibility to his recommendations.

I will not hesitate to use Bob's talents the next time I have a situation that calls for mediation...

-- Kevin Gosewisch, attorney for defendant in same case

I am writing to thank you for your mediation services that you provided in court last week. We appreciate how you were able to quickly assess both sides of the situation and assist us in coming to an agreement both sides could agree with.

Thank you for your assistance. You definitely made this process easier.

Working with people is a job all in itself. So once our case was presented to you, I feel you handled it in an admirable fashion................THANK-YOU.