No two mediations are alike. Eleanor’s mediation approach depends on the nature of the dispute, and the entities, people and personalities involved. Eleanor will facilitate different processes when the dispute is an organizational conflict, a pre-litigated matter, or a case ready for trial.

Eleanor’s approach focuses on the following essential items: thorough preparation, attentive listening, identifying important issues, needs and interests, and skillfully facilitating dialogue and negotiation. To accomplish this, she deftly “reads the room” to understand the myriad personalities and their communication and negotiation styles.

Eleanor began practicing law 35 years ago as a litigator of complex civil cases. She was a named partner (under her maiden name, Oths) at Denney & Oths in Glendale, California, where she focused on environmental, business and employment litigation. Prior to that, Eleanor litigated in the areas of entertainment and First Amendment law at Glassman & Browning in Beverly Hills.

She has represented corporate and individual clients, as plaintiffs and defendants, in all stages of litigation, including mediations, arbitrations, trials and appeals. Eleanor’s experience in litigating complex, multi-party lawsuits has been instrumental in her ability to resolve such cases as a mediator.

Eleanor received a J.D. from Indiana University Law School in Bloomington and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University. She has received mediation and negotiation training from many institutions including Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation, the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine Law School, U.C.L.A., Los Angeles County Bar, Center for Conflict Resolution, the California Court of Appeal, and Concur.

• Ethically Mediating the Litigated Case, Orange County Bar Association, 2022, 2023

• Mediating Complex Multi-Party Matters, U.S. District Court Settlement Panel, 2020

• Advanced Mediation for the Employment Litigator, California State Bar, 2016, 2019, 2022

• Mediating Environmental Drycleaner Litigation, Environmental and Emerging Claim Managers Assoc., 2019

• Mediation Training, Los Angeles County Bar Association, 2016, 2015

• Mediating Complex Environmental and Toxic Tort Matters, National Forum for Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues, 2014

• Mediating Public Policy Disputes, Southern California Mediation Association, November 2013

• Contaminated Property Cases: Evaluation, Litigation, and Settlement, Beverly Hills Bar Association, February 2012, 2010

• Negotiating in the Caucus Stage of Mediation, American Bar Association, November 2011

• Getting the Benefit of the Bargain: How to Win in Your Everyday Negotiations, Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, October 2011

• Tips for Success in Employment Mediation, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Employment Section, April 2011

• Always Be Closing, American Bar Association, 2011 and International Academy of Mediators, 2010

• Adjunct Professor, Pepperdine University School of Law, Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution, 2006, 2008

• Mediating Real Estate Disputes, California Association of Realtors, 2008

• Conflict Resolution for Managers, Los Angeles Community College District, 2008

• Resolving Disputes: Mediation, Negotiation, and Facilitation in Theory and Practice, UCLA, 2008

• Ethics in Negotiation, Inns of Court, 2007

• Mediating the Litigated Case, Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law, 2007

• Ethics and ADR: What Happened to Zealous Representation? State Bar of California, Sections Education Institute, January 2007

• “Neuroscience and Negotiation” Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Associations for Southern California, August 2016.

• "Mediating the Complex Case: A Primer for Plaintiff's Counsel," Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Associations for Southern California, September 2013

• "Environmental Mediation Holds Challenges," Los Angeles Daily Journal, May 2, 2012

• “Mediation Lessons from the Facebook/Winklevoss Dispute,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, April 19, 2011

• "The Evolution of Employment Mediations: A Mediator’s Perspective,” Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Associations for Southern California, October, 2008

• “Enforcing Agreements,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, September 20, 2007

• “Making Sound Decisions: How to Help Your Client Evaluate Settlement Options,” 24 Alternatives 65, April 2006, International Institute for Conflict Resolution - CPR Institute.

• Co-author (under her maiden name, Oths), the California Environmental Law Handbook, Government Institutes, 1994-1997

Eleanor spent her childhood in a suburb of New York City. Her family moved to the Midwest where she attended high school, college and law school. Eleanor has lived in the Los Angeles area for the past 35 years. She is married to Rod Barr and they have a daughter who just finished college. With her family, Eleanor enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, yoga and occasionally playing the drums with her husband (who is the real musician!).