Mary McLain is the founder of McLain Mediation and has served as an International Attorney Mediator for more than 25 years. She began her career with a strong foundation in commercial litigation, including the management and trial of complex, month‑long cases. As a mediator, she has resolved international and domestic matters across an exceptionally broad spectrum, including commercial and business disputes, personal injury, insurance, employment, real estate, probate, partnership conflicts, and family business disputes.
She serves on ADR panels for the United States District Court, Northern District of California, as well as the San Francisco, Marin, and Los Angeles County Superior Courts, and the California Mediation Program, and has acted as Judge Pro Tem in numerous matters.
Mary was in the first graduating class to obtain an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University, one of the nation’s leading programs in mediation and negotiation.
She is also a former Adjunct Professor and Lecturer in mediation and negotiation at UC Berkeley School of Law, UC Law San Francisco, and Hult International Business School. A Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, Mary is a sought‑after lecturer worldwide, having presented on advanced mediation topics throughout the United States, Greece, France, Brazil, and Israel.
Mary has been recognized for numerous years by the Lexology Index: Thought Leaders USA and the International Commercial Mediator report (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for her leadership and excellence in mediation.
She serves as a mediator and judge at the International Mediation Competition of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, and as an assessor at the IBA–VIAC CDRC Mediation and Negotiation Competition in Vienna, contributing her expertise to the development of the next generation of global dispute‑resolution professionals.
