Professional Biography

After more than twenty years representing both plaintiffs and defendants in employment, labor, real estate, and civil litigation, I’ve learned something that every trial lawyer eventually comes to understand: litigation is a blunt instrument for solving human problems. It is expensive, unpredictable, emotionally draining, and too often dissatisfying even for the party who “wins.” I have watched hard-working people, small business owners, public employees, and professionals pour time, money, and energy into lawsuits that ultimately left them exhausted, frustrated, or still carrying the weight of an unresolved conflict.

Along the way, I’ve also witnessed a different kind of outcome—the ones where parties stepped out of the litigation posture long enough to have a real conversation, explore their interests, understand their risks, and craft their own resolution. Those moments have stayed with me because they reflected something litigation rarely delivers: clarity, closure, and control over the outcome. Mediation, when facilitated with care, structure, and experience, gives people that opportunity.

By 2025, after two decades of practicing law, teaching law students, negotiating labor agreements, conducting neutral workplace investigations, and guiding thousands of clients through the legal system, I felt pulled toward the work that had always brought the most meaning to my practice: helping people resolve conflict. I completed advanced mediation training at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law—a program that deepened my understanding of facilitative and evaluative approaches and reinforced my belief that dispute resolution is both an art and a skill.

Starting Joe Rose ADR was a natural step. My years in litigation representing both sides give me a rare vantage point. I understand the motivations of plaintiffs seeking justice, fairness, or closure, and I understand the pressures on employers and defendants navigating risk, precedent, and business realities. I know how cases are valued, where they break down, where they settle, and why they sometimes don’t. I’ve seen how misunderstandings, pride, fear, or simple miscommunication can harden into positions that feel immovable. And I’ve learned how a skilled mediator can help parties untangle all of that and move toward a resolution they can live with.

My mediation approach is grounded in patience, curiosity, and respect. I listen carefully, ask the right questions, reality-test options when needed, and ensure every party feels heard. But I also bring a practical, informed perspective shaped by years as an advocate in the courtroom, at the negotiation table, in arbitration, in mediation, and in the trenches of real-world disputes. My goal is not to push people into settlement but to help them see the full landscape of their conflict, explore possibilities, and make clear, informed decisions about their own future.

I became a mediator because I believe resolution is achievable, even in the toughest disputes, when people are given the right environment, the right process, and the right guide. My role is to create that environment, facilitate that process, and help parties find their way to a meaningful and lasting outcome.

That is why I built this mediation practice and why I am committed to bringing the full weight of my experience, training, and insight to every dispute entrusted to me.

Professional History

Rose Law, A Professional Corporation
Attorney, Mediator, Facfttfinder, Managing Shareholder
2004 – present

Lincoln Law School of Sacramento
Adjunct Law Professor
2005 – present

Goyette & Associates, Inc.
Associate Attorney, Labor Relations Representative
2000 – 2004

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire
Firefighter/Paramedic, Company Officer, Fire Inspector/Investigator
1999 – 2001

Cameron Park Fire Department
Firefighter/Paramedic
1989 – 1990

Licensed Real Estate Broker
California Department of Real Estate No. 01765500
2004 – present

Mediation Concentrations

Industries Focus