Scott C. Van Soye is a Senior Associate with Kane, Ballmer & Berkman, which he joined in 2008. Mr. Van Soye has a varied two-decade background in civil law.  He heads the mediation portion of the Firm’s alternative dispute resolution practice, and is also available to serve as a consultant, advising counsel and parties on the preparation, strategy and conduct of negotiations.

Mr. Van Soye holds an LL.M. from Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, and a JD from UCLA. He has successfully resolved hundreds of real estate, personal injury, public entity and business disputes.  He has mediated for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the San Bernardino County Superior Court, and both mediated and arbitrated for private parties.   He frequently serves as a pro bono mediator for the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Two, where he has resolved 17 of 19 cases.

Mr. Van Soye’s litigation activities with the Firm now center on redevelopment and affordable housing, public law, and insurance issues. Immediately prior to coming to the Firm, Mr. Van Soye spent eight years as a staff attorney for the judges of the San Bernardino County Superior Court.  In that capacity, he counseled its judges about complex public law, real estate, employment, personal injury,  and contract cases. He also advised on court administration and served as a judge pro tem.  Prior to joining the Firm, he focused particularly on real estate, employment, and disability rights cases, at both the trial and appellate level.

Mr. Van Soye is an outstanding public speaker, and has frequently been called upon to address topics related to dispute resolution, disability rights, and the overlap between the Americans with Disabilities Act and workers’ compensation. He has served as a lecturer on the latter topic at the John Greenleaf Whittier School of Law.
 
Mr. Van Soye is also the author of several published articles, including “Illusory Ethics: Legal Barriers to an Ombudsman's Compliance with Accepted Ethical Standards" 8 Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal 117, and “Contractor Concern Grows Over ADA Noncompliance” Orange County Business Journal.  He is a co-author of An Exceptional View of Life: The Easter Seal Story. He continues to research and write on dispute resolution and redevelopment topics.