Resume

Jeanne Behling, Esq. is a seasoned mediator, having successfully resolved hundreds of disputes since commencing her full-time mediation practice in 2016. She commands an impressive background as an attorney representing plaintiffs and defendants alike for over two decades, specializing in personal injury, product liability, sexual abuse/harassment, and employment litigation. Her experience also extends to subrogation and cases involving peace officers and government claims.

Ms. Behling began her career in 1988 as Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, where she was assigned her first felony trial within just eight months of joining. She was responsible for handling all aspects of prosecution of criminal cases, including misdemeanors and felonies. At the end of her tenure, she had tried over sixty cases to jury verdict, including vertical prosecution of sexual abuse and assault cases, gang offenses, and homicides.

Ms. Behling then shifted her practice to handle civil litigation as an Associate at the Orange County firm of Alevizon, Smith, Susson & Palafox, a personal injury litigation firm which practiced both plaintiff and defense civil cases. There, she was responsible for all aspects of civil litigation, including discovery, depositions, motions, and court appearances. After three years, she relocated with her husband to Singapore, where she spent almost five years teaching business law and political science at The Overseas Family College, a school affiliated with the California State University System.

Upon her return to the United States in 2000, Ms. Behling spent the next sixteen years as a litigator, first at Smith & Marquart and later as a Partner at Smith & Behling, where she specialized in all aspects of business, personal injury, product liability, and employment cases, from intake to litigation, including drafting and responding to discovery, taking and defending depositions, drafting and responding to motions, trial preparation, and working with various expert witnesses.

For decades, Ms. Behling has passionately delved into mediation theory and practiced it throughout her career. Her global experiences have instilled in her a profound appreciation for diverse cultures, making her an empathetic mediator who genuinely cares for people and their unique perspectives. With her exceptional ability to connect and relate to participants, Ms. Behling is an invaluable asset to any mediation.

• Breach of Contract
• Employment Matters
• Government Agency Liability
• Personal Injury
• Premises Liability
• Product Liability
• Sexual Abuse / Harassment
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• UM/UIM
• Wrongful Death

ADR SERVICES, INC. 2022-Present
Mediator
Full-time mediator specializing in the resolution of business, employment, government liability, personal injury, products liability, sexual harassment, traumatic brain injury (TBI), UM/UIM, wrongful death cases, and more.

INLAND VALLEY ARBITRATION & MEDIATION SERVICES (IVAMS) 2015-2022
Mediator
Mediator on the panel of Inland Valley Arbitration and Mediation Services with offices in Irvine, Ontario, and Pasadena. Mediated a variety of cases including wrongful death, personal injury, catastrophic injury matters, premises liability, employment matters, subrogation and complex multi-party matters.

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY, FOWLER SCHOOL OF LAW 2019-Present
Adjunct Professor
Adjunct Professor of Law teaching Mediation and Negotiations to law students. Develop content including lectures and role play scenarios to allow students to develop mediation and negotiation skills.

RJN INVESTIGATIONS, INC. 2019-Present
Workplace Investigator
Investigate allegations of inappropriate conduct, including sexual harassment, bullying, retaliation, racial and gender-based discrimination. Author reports with appropriate findings.

SMITH & BEHLING 2006-2016
Litigator
Responsible for all aspects of plaintiff personal injury and employment cases, intake to litigation, including drafting and responding to discovery, taking and defending depositions, drafting and responding to motions, preparing for jury trials, including working with various expert witnesses. Specialized in catastrophic injury matters, employment, and sexual harassment and abuse cases. Also managed staff including secretaries and paralegals.

SMITH & MARQUART 2000-2006
Litigator
Responsible for all aspects of business and personal injury cases, intake to litigation, including discovery both written and oral, drafting motions and responses, court appearances, and trial preparation. Prepared for mediation and arbitration as required.

OVERSEAS FAMILY SCHOOL 1997-2000
Professor
College professor at a school in Singapore affiliated with the California State University System. Taught Political Science and Business Law to College Freshmen.

ALEVIZON, SMITH, SUSSON & PALAFOX 1993-1996
Associate
Associate at a Personal Injury litigation firm which practiced both plaintiff and defense civil cases. Responsible for all aspects of civil litigation, including discovery, depositions, motions, and court appearances.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE 1988-1993
Deputy District Attorney
Responsible for all aspects of prosecution of criminal cases including misdemeanors and felonies. Tried over sixty cases to jury verdict, including vertical prosecution of sexual abuse and assault cases, gang offenses, and homicides.

• Juris Doctorate, UC College of the Law, San Francisco, 1988
• Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of California, Riverside, 1985
• Mediating the Litigated Case, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, 2015

• Assistance League of Tustin, Past President, Past Vice-President, Parliamentarian
• Association of Workplace Investigators, Member
• Foothill High School Education Foundation, Past President/Board Member, 2014-2017
• Orange County Bar Association, ADR Section Chair
• Orange County Superior Court Mediator Panel
• Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Past Member
• Orange County Women Lawyers Association, Member