Melissa Polk – an interview
Who are you? Where do you come from? What is your background?
I grew up in the Central Valley city of Fresno. As a child, I had a great love for books and writing. As I grew older, I enjoyed writing about my opinions on social issues and arguing my points with family members during dinner. My mom likes to tell people I was destined to be an attorney. My journey from Fresno led me to UC Davis for undergrad. I began my college education as a pre-med student but quickly realized it was not for me. I became interested in law after taking an environmental law class. I loved everything about the law library and reading cases. I was hooked. After graduating from UC Davis, I took two years off and moved to San Francisco to work and save up for law school. I have been a family law litigator for 17 years and a mediator for 7 years
What do your current professional practice and activities look like?
My litigation practice primarily focuses on trials dealing with complex family law issues, such as custodial move-away cases, business valuations, and complex financial divisions of assets and debts. I am in the process of transitioning away from litigation and becoming more mediation- and collaborative-based. My mediation practice focuses on family law, but I have also mediated landlord/tenant and employment disputes. I am a member of the San Francisco and Alameda Bar Associations. I am the past chair of the ACBA ADR Executive Committee. I volunteer as a lawyer and mediator for various legal panels and participate in day-of-court mediation for small claims and landlord-tenant cases.
How did you first learn about mediation?
I became interested in mediation through my interactions with Settlement Officers assigned to assist with settlement of my litigation cases. I quickly saw the value of resolving clients’ matters amicably with a settlement officer. I sought out members of the legal community who were mediators and started shadowing them to see if I would be interested in it. I enjoyed stepping out of the high-conflict arena and working as a neutral. I decided to take the 40-hour training class 7 years ago and have enjoyed every minute of being a mediator.
What do you hope to accomplish as a Board Member of APFM?
My passion is mentoring people transitioning into the mediation field, whether they are new attorneys or professionals changing careers or looking to expand their practice. Most people do not step out of mediation training into a successful practice. I want to be the bridge between training and successfully mediating cases. In the short time I have mentored individuals, I have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm when people find out that they can reach out to me for questions if they need someone to role-play a situation or give comforting words after a difficult mediation. I look forward to expanding my role and making APFM an excellent resource for new mediators.
Where do you see the field of Family Mediation going?
I have seen the transition from litigation to mediation for the past 4-5 years. People are tired of the long, protracted court process and favor a more focused and cost-effective method. Mediation provides parties with privacy and the time and ability to discuss issues that get lost in the 5-10 minutes they have in court hearings. Attorneys can also be the source of conflict, so parties find that removing attorneys from the process helps them resolve issues quickly without costly trials. I am excited to be a part of the transition to a more mediation- and settlement-based resolution of family law cases.
What do you like to do when you are not mediating?
When not working, I am a full-time mom to my ten-year-old and seven-year-old children. They keep me very busy with school and multiple extracurricular activities. I love being a mom; it is my most significant and rewarding accomplishment. I also enjoy trying new restaurants and traveling. In our few quiet moments when the kids are in school, my husband and I enjoy nature walks and exploring farmers’ markets throughout the Bay Area.