Construction
is an extremely complex industry and is chiefly comprised of architects, building
designers, engineers, engineering ("A" license) contractors,
general ("B" license) contractors, approximately 46
sub-contractor specialty trades and the manufacturers and suppliers of an
endless list of building materials and products.
Disputes
often arise and can frequently be mitigated with early intervention by a
skillful and highly experienced mediator, before they become a
litigated case.
When the disputing parties
become embroiled in the issues and can no longer deal with each other, the
dispute then often goes to the lawyers and the case is filed and litigated in
court or arbitration. This inevitably becomes very expensive and time consuming.
Mediation
is an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) option to litigation and is a process
in which the parties can participate
directly with resolving the disputed issues at hand. Mediating the litigated construction
case is a uniquely complex process which often involves numerous parties and is
often contentious.
Michael
S. Poles is s a licensed general building contractor, construction manager,
inspector and a forensic expert witness. He brings
more than 45 years of hands-on construction and business experience and knowledge of complex and
highly technical issues to the mediation process with the proven ability to get
right to the heart of the dispute and reach a successful resolution.
Michael S. Poles joined his
father's construction business in 1962 and built commercial, industrial and
residential projects for many years.
He conducted
continuous special inspections of reinforced masonry and reinforced concrete
work during the course of construction for hundreds of projects.
Michael was
the Inspector of Record (IOR) for numerous hospital construction projects and was registered as a Class "A" Construction
Inspector for health facilities by the
Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).
Mr. Poles is the chief executive
of a construction consulting
firm known as MPGroup which is a collaboration of architects, engineers, contractors
and other construction technical experts providing forensic expert witnesses for
attorneys and insurance companies.
Michael
Poles was educated at the United States Navy Hospital Corps School at the Balboa
Naval Hospital, San Diego, California. He majored in pre-med at Santa Monica
College and at U.C.L.A. He later attended courses of study at Los Angeles Trade
Technical College and at Lumblau Real Estate School.
Mr. Poles received
his mediation training at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine
University School of Law and the Institute for Mediation Studies and maintains a
high level of continuing education.
Michael is a
member of the Court A.D.R. Panel of Mediators with the Los Angeles County
Superior Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Program and is conducting both
court ordered and private mediation services.
While
construction is Michael's specialty area of expertise, he also utilizes his
unique education and training combined with more than 45 years of business
experience to mediate matters pertaining to Premises Liability, Real Estate and
Elder Care.
