In my story today about city attorney candidate Jan Goldsmith, I touch on Goldsmith’s record as a mediator. I included in my story a quote from the eminent San Diego securities mediator and retired Judge Larry Irving, about Goldsmith:
“I’ve heard of him as a judge and a legislator, but if he was doing something in securities mediation, I never heard about it,” Irving said.
Well, Goldsmith thought that was a little unfair of me. Here’s what he sent me in an e-mail this morning:
I don’t know retired Judge Irving, but my securities arbitration experience was with the American Arbitration Association … To leave the impression that I have not done securities arbitration because retired Judge Irving is not aware of it is wrong.
While I was researching my story, I contacted the AAA and asked them if they could tell me how many cases Goldsmith hand handled between 1988 and 1992, the period during which Goldsmith was most active as a mediator. They wouldn’t tell me.
I also asked Goldsmith, who said he had called the AAA, but couldn’t give me an accurate number of how many cases he had mediated. Goldsmith gave me an estimate of about two cases a month he worked on as a mediator.
Goldsmith also included in his e-mail an extract from a letter written by a lawyer who tried a securities matter before a three arbitrator panel of which Goldsmith was the chairman:
“As a securities litigator, I have appeared in many arbitrations before various forums. Without a doubt, Mr. Jan Goldsmith was the best chairman I have ever had. Although his rulings in many instances were contrary to my clients, in all instances he was fair, impartial and exhibited a keen understanding of the law. Regardless of the outcome of this case, I feel compelled to advise the Association his excellent performance as chairman of the arbitration panel in this matter.”
Fair enough.