JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce the addition of Hon. Lorna Alksne (Ret.) to its panel. Judge Alksne joins JAMS after over 20 years on the San Diego Superior Court. She served 10 years in the Family Law Division, where she presided over all areas of family law, and two years in the Civil Division, where she presided over all aspects of civil litigation. Prior to her retirement, from 2020 to 2022, Judge Alksne was the presiding judge of the San Diego Superior Court, which is the second-largest court in California, with 154 bench officers.
During her tenure on the bench, Judge Alksne presided over discovery disputes, evidentiary hearings, pretrial motions and jury trials, and she served as a settlement conference judge for hundreds of cases. In addition to her work on the bench, Judge Alksne was involved in the statewide administration of justice and served as chair of one of the Judicial Council’s advisory committees on calculating workload.
Based in the San Diego Resolution Center, Judge Alksne will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, special master/referee and judge pro tem, handling family law, employment, professional liability, personal injury, business and commercial, and real property disputes. She is available to conduct sessions in person (adhering to reopening guidelines), as well as virtually for attorneys and their clients across the country.
Judge Alksne is recognized for her passion and knowledge of family law, along with her commitment to finding a resolution to even the most contentious matters. We are eager to see her succeed in this new role as a JAMS neutral.
- Chris Poole, JAMS CEO
Prior to taking the bench, Judge Alksne focused her practice on employment litigation, including in an in-house advisory capacity and as a litigator in a large law firm. She has been recognized throughout her career with various awards, including most recently by the San Diego chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates for her exemplary service as presiding judge of the San Diego Superior Court during her two-year term. In addition, she has also been recognized by the San Diego Family Law Bar Association for her “Lifetime of Judicial Accomplishment and Dedication to Family Law” and by the Southern California chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers as Distinguished Judge of the Year, both in 2009. Judge Alksne was recognized by her alma mater, the University of San Diego School of Law, in 2013 with its Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her impressive career.
I believe every case can be resolved without litigation. As a mediator, my goal is to listen not just to the attorneys, but also to the parties so I understand their positions and personal roadblocks to resolution.
- Hon. Lorna A. Alksne (Ret.)
She received her B.A. from Mills College and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.