Greg Derin brings more than forty-five years of legal experience and over two decades of dispute resolution work to his role as a mediator and arbitrator. Known for his intellectual curiosity, patience, and ability to connect with people from all backgrounds, he has guided parties through more than a thousand complex disputes. His approach reflects both deep substantive knowledge and a genuine interest in the human stories behind cases.

Greg is recognized for his persistence, creativity, and ability to resolve matters that have resisted settlement in earlier attempts. Parties describe him as a thoughtful and pragmatic problem solver who understands how to balance legal analysis with the interpersonal dynamics that influence negotiation. He draws on a rich understanding of history, literature, and social science to help participants reframe conflict, evaluate risk, and identify opportunities for resolution that may not have been apparent at the outset.

Greg’s work as a mediator is shaped by decades of experience handling sophisticated litigation across a wide range of industries and subject areas. He has represented clients in federal and state trial and appellate courts in California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and other jurisdictions, and has appeared before entertainment industry tribunals including the Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Directors Guild of America, and the Writers Guild of America, as well as the Major League Baseball Players Association, the National Association of Securities Dealers, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and the California State Water Resources Board. His litigation background spans contract and fraud disputes, entertainment and intellectual property matters, partnership conflicts, employment and class actions, real estate and construction issues, and legal malpractice claims. This breadth allows him to quickly understand the technical, commercial, and relational elements of complex cases.

For eight years, Greg assisted mediation pioneers Professor Frank E. A. Sander, Linda Singer and Michael Lewis in teaching the prestigious Mediation Workshop at the Harvard Negotiation Institute. This work deepened his commitment to principled negotiation and reinforced his reputation as a practitioner who blends analytical rigor with a practical understanding of how people make decisions under pressure.

Greg has also earned recognition for his leadership in the dispute resolution community. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Berkeley and its law school, where he served on the Editorial Board of the California Law Review, Greg is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of numerous national and international arbitration panels, and a past chair of the California State Bar Standing Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution. His work has been repeatedly honored by Best Lawyers in America, Southern California Super Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal (now Lexology), and the Hollywood Reporter, which honored him as a “Power Mediator.” Greg was honored to receive the Warren G. Knight Award for Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel.

Greg has chaired tripartite arbitration panels and served as a sole arbitrator in numerous high-stakes matters involving diverse industries and subject matters. He serves on prestigious domestic and international arbitration panels, and is a designated arbitrator in the Writers Guild of America collective bargaining agreement.

Throughout his career, Greg has remained dedicated to helping parties move beyond impasse with clarity and confidence. His ability to combine preparation, insight, and authentic engagement makes him a trusted neutral for highly complex matters.

Greg is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, from which he received an A.B. degree with Highest Honors in 1976. Greg received a J.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 1979, where he was on the editorial board of the California Law Review.

University of California, Berkeley , A.B., 1976
Graduation with Highest Honors in Political Science
Phi Beta Kappa

University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 1979
Research and Book Review Editor, California Law Review

Mediation Training:
Harvard Law School, Program of Instruction for Lawyers, Mediation Workshop (30.5 Hour Training Program Led by Professor Frank E.A. Sander, Linda Singer and Michael Lewis) Pepperdine University School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Mediating the Litigated Case (42 Hour Certificate Program) Center for Dispute Settlement (Washington, D.C.), Advanced Mediation Techniques (18 Hour Program) Dispute Resolution Services, Inc. (Los Angeles County Bar Association), Advanced Mediator Skills Training (15 Hour Certificate Program) American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution/International Academy of Mediators, Advanced Mediation and Advocacy Skills Training (12 Hour Training Program) Center for Dispute Resolution (Kenneth Cloke), Mediation Training (30 hour Training Program) Pepperdine University School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Advanced Training for United States District Court Settlement Officers: Cross-Cultural Ramifications in Mediations, Overcoming Impasse and Transparency in Mediations, Mediator Influence and Overcoming Barriers, To Caucus or Not to Caucus,  and Helping People Make Effective Decisions in Mediation

Arbitration Training:
American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution, "Arbitration Training Institute" (20 Hour Training Program); American Arbitration Association, "Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices (2 Day Training Program); Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (3 Day Training); Independent Film and Television Alliance Panel Training

• Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in Los Angeles for Mediation, Arbitration and Intellectual Property Litigation (2021-Present)
• Southern California SuperLawyer, Alternative Dispute Resolution (2006-Present)
• USA Commercial Mediation Thought Leader, Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal)
• Recognized in Marquis Who’s Who
• “Power Mediator,” The Hollywood Reporter
• AV rating, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
• Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators
• Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
• Past Chair, Southern California Chapter, North American Branch, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Member, Federal Bar Association
• Member, California Lawyers Association, ADR Committee, Litigation Section
• Member, Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel
• Member, National and California Academies of Distinguished Neutrals
• Member, CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals (Entertainment and Employment Panels)
• Member, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Mediation and Arbitration Panels
• Member, Panel of Neutrals, London Court of International Arbitration
• Member, USCIB (International Chamber of Commerce USA) Panel of Arbitrators
• Member, Los Angeles Copyright Society
• Member, Copyright Society of the USA, Los Angeles Chapter
• Member, Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association
• Member, Sports Law Association
• Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• Member, American Bar Association (Litigation, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property Sections, Forum on Entertainment and Sports Industry)