Michelle Reinglass - Top Mediation & Arbitration Expert

About Michelle

Michelle Reinglass is a full-time mediator with Judicate West, one of Southern California’s leading providers of dispute resolution services. She exclusively handles mediations, with a large emphasis on labor and employment matters (discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of all types: sex, disability, race, age, national origin and ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.), wage and hour (class actions and individual cases), PAGA, whistleblowing, defamation, contract, etc.; as well as business and corporate; plus, tort (personal injury, catastrophic injuries, and other types of claims involving fire, mold, etc.). Michelle also served for 17 years (concurrently with her legal and mediation careers) as an Arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and with Judicate West.Michelle has been active in the legal and local communities. She is a past President (1993) of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) and created the Bar’s Committee for Gender and Racial Equality. She is a long-time member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), and served 10-years on its Executive Board, including 2 years as Chairperson in 2006-2007. She is member of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA) and served on its Board and is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA). She served a 3-year term on the Board of and remains a member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter (ABTL). She also has been a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) and the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). She served two terms as a lawyer representative for the Central District delegation to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, serving as the 1994-1995 Chairperson. She served as chair for Governor Jerry Brown’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee (JSAC) for Orange County, 2011-2018. In 2016, she joined the Board of Advisors for Western State College of Law. She is a frequent author and speaker on employment, trial practice, and ADR issues. She is a co-author of the #1 International Best-Selling Books, Women Who Empower and Leading with Legacy.Michelle has received many honors and recognitions including admission to ABOTA in 1997, and in 2013 was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators. She was inducted into the Western State University College of Law, Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the Anti-Defamation League “ADL” Jurisprudence Award, in 1997. She has been named Business Trial Lawyer of the Year, by the OCTLA, in 1995, "Lawyer of the Year", by the Orange County Women Lawyers Association (OCWLA), in 1996, and “Employment Trial Lawyer of the Year", by the OCTLA, in 2004. She was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, in 2006. She was recognized by The Daily Journal as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California", in 2001, "Top Female Litigators", in 2002-2005, 2009, “Top Labor and Employment Lawyers”, in 2009-2010, as well as one of “California’s Top 50 Neutrals”, 2012-2013. In 2017, she received the Lukens Legacy Award from WISEPLace Women’s Shelter. She was recognized as a WWL Thought Leader – USA – Commercial Mediation for 2023-2025 and received the OCBA Masters Division "Legends of the Law" award in 2024.Michelle has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, since 2001, including being named the Best Lawyers® 2025 and 2020 Mediation “Lawyer of the Year”, the Best Lawyers® 2021 and 2019 Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year”, as well as the Best Lawyers® 2018, 2016, and 2012 Employment Law - Individuals “Lawyer of the Year”, in Orange County, California. She has been named as one of Southern California’s Super Lawyers”, since 2004, including top 100 lawyers in Southern California, top 50 Women Lawyers and top 50 from Orange County.Full Bio: https://www.reinglassadr.com/bio

Michelle Reinglass is a full-time mediator with Judicate West, one of Southern California’s leading providers of dispute resolution services. She exclusively handles mediations, with a large emphasis on labor and employment matters (discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of all types: sex, disability, race, age, national origin and ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.), wage and hour (class actions and individual cases), PAGA, whistleblowing, defamation, contract, etc.; as well as business and corporate; plus, tort (personal injury, catastrophic injuries, and other types of claims involving fire, mold, etc.). Michelle also served for 17 years (concurrently with her legal and mediation careers) as an Arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and with Judicate West.

Michelle has been active in the legal and local communities. She is a past President (1993) of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) and created the Bar’s Committee for Gender and Racial Equality. She is a long-time member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), and served 10-years on its Executive Board, including 2 years as Chairperson in 2006-2007. She is member of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA) and served on its Board and is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA). She served a 3-year term on the Board of and remains a member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter (ABTL). She also has been a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) and the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). She served two terms as a lawyer representative for the Central District delegation to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, serving as the 1994-1995 Chairperson. She served as chair for Governor Jerry Brown’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee (JSAC) for Orange County, 2011-2018. In 2016, she joined the Board of Advisors for Western State College of Law. She is a frequent author and speaker on employment, trial practice, and ADR issues. She is a co-author of the #1 International Best-Selling Books, Women Who Empower and Leading with Legacy.

Michelle has received many honors and recognitions including admission to ABOTA in 1997, and in 2013 was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators. She was inducted into the Western State University College of Law, Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the Anti-Defamation League “ADL” Jurisprudence Award, in 1997. She has been named Business Trial Lawyer of the Year, by the OCTLA, in 1995, "Lawyer of the Year", by the Orange County Women Lawyers Association (OCWLA), in 1996, and “Employment Trial Lawyer of the Year", by the OCTLA, in 2004. She was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, in 2006. She was recognized by The Daily Journal as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California", in 2001, "Top Female Litigators", in 2002-2005, 2009, “Top Labor and Employment Lawyers”, in 2009-2010, as well as one of “California’s Top 50 Neutrals”, 2012-2013. In 2017, she received the Lukens Legacy Award from WISEPLace Women’s Shelter. She was recognized as a WWL Thought Leader – USA – Commercial Mediation for 2023-2025 and received the OCBA Masters Division "Legends of the Law" award in 2024.

Michelle has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, since 2001, including being named the Best Lawyers® 2025 and 2020 Mediation “Lawyer of the Year”, the Best Lawyers® 2021 and 2019 Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year”, as well as the Best Lawyers® 2018, 2016, and 2012 Employment Law - Individuals “Lawyer of the Year”, in Orange County, California. She has been named as one of Southern California’s Super Lawyers”, since 2004, including top 100 lawyers in Southern California, top 50 Women Lawyers and top 50 from Orange County.