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Jan. 16, 2026

Effective settlement: Knowledge, timing and preparation

Successful settlement conferences depend on often-overlooked fundamentals like timing, case knowledge and preparation--including understanding insurance coverage, medical liens and the full range of possible outcomes beyond monetary relief.

Evelio Grillo

Judge (ret.), neutral
ADR Services, Inc.

litigation

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Effective settlement: Knowledge, timing and preparation
Shutterstock

It comes as no surprise to legal professionals--lawyers, judges and ADR neutrals alike--that most civil litigation resolves without trial. Procedural and dispositive motions resolve a small fraction of more than 500,000 civil cases filed annually in California. The vast majority of the remaining civil cases resolve through settlement. The high rates of pretrial settlement--b...

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