Mediator/Attorney Resume
DEBRA SYNOVEC
Franklin Avenue East, #
Seattle, WA
Management - Legal - Financial - Conflict Resolution
Not-For-Profit Organizations - Foundations - Micro-Financing Enterprises
Accomplished professional and creative visionary bringing sophisticated business acumen by combining legal knowledge, financial analytical skills and conflict management abilities to architect and guide constructive change through dynamic programs.
• Established track record of achieving goals by assessing needs, developing strategic plans, building relationships, and managing conflict while working with various organizational structures and with individuals from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic cultures.
• Proven expertise at collaborating with diverse constituencies and multi-disciplinary teams to create, execute, and evaluate programs according to best practices considering organizational objectives, regulations, and financial positions.
• Adept at creating strategic plans and achieving organizational goals in challenging environments by using perceptive and pragmatic skills to design, champion and implement solutions.
• Experienced international traveler having exceptional ability to develop connections with people from diverse cultures; travel has included Africa, Central and South America, Middle East, Russia and Europe.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, MN, J.D. (Member of Washington Bar)
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, B.S., Accounting (CPA designation)
St. Cloud State College, St. Cloud, MN, B.A., Social Work
Mediation Certificate, Erickson Mediation Institute, Minneapolis, MN ( hours)
Harvard University, Harvard Negotiation Insight Initiative Training, Cambridge, MA ( hours)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
LAW OFFICE OF DEBRA SYNOVEC – Present Mediator and Alternative Dispute Practitioner
• Pioneered dispute resolution programs and built successful civil mediation practice.
• Championed and advanced mediation usage in a legal community that strongly opposed ADR methods.
• Collaborated with diverse groups to establish and coordinate dispute resolution programs.
Attorney
• Formed productive network of contacts and cultivated clients using relationship building, leadership, and diplomacy skills.
• Achieved exceptional client trust and satisfaction, retaining over % of clients.
• Negotiated and solved diverse, challenging, complex cases by collaborating effectively with attorneys, judges and clients.
• Minimized client losses through investigation, tactical intervention, and the ability to devise mutually acceptable solutions.
• Increased profits by improving client business practices, developing strategic plans and using creative thinking.
• Reduced exposure to litigation by identifying, assessing, quantifying and mitigating business risk.
• Provided diverse transactional and litigation services including tax, employment, partnership dissolution, and real estate.
• Skilled at working with government officials and navigating through established policies and issues.
Mclean County, Bloomington, IL -
Administrative Hearing Officer
• Recruited to be initial Court Hearing Officer for innovative child support and parentage program.
• Successfully resolved more than % of the cases, significantly reducing judicial time.
• Authored procedure and practice guidelines that streamlined casework and ensured consistent outcomes.
• Managed challenging, fast-paced court docket of - cases per day by streamlining procedures.
• Optimized settlements by advancing collaborative relationships and applying diplomacy skills.
• Used superior listening, communication, problem solving and negotiation skills to reach fair and impartial decisions.
Debra Synovec Page
ERICKSON MEDIATION INSTITUTE, Minneapolis, MN
Mediator
• Recruited to provide mediation service, training and client development.
• Provided comprehensive civil mediation services.
• Collaborated with management to design, improve and implement training programs.
DAIN CORPORATION, Minneapolis, MN –
Controller and Chief Financial Officer National Real Estate Investment Company
• Promoted to be the first CFO; served as a key participant of the executive team responsible for all strategic planning, evaluation, and negotiation of complex multi-party real estate transactions holding over $ million in investment capital.
• Directed finance and accounting department for three corporations and partnerships having annual revenues in excess of $ million; liaison between executive team, parent company representatives, corporate attorneys and auditors.
• Reported financial information and performance activity to over , investors.
• Streamlined decision making and information processing by transforming accounting department to computerized system.
• Overhauled accounting policies to bring reporting into compliance with GAAP.
• Hired, trained, evaluated and mentored staff; originated internal personnel policies.
• Evaluated third-party property management organizations; significantly increased efficiency by standardizing reporting.
• Devised and implemented company policies and procedures to facilitate compliance with government requirements and to accurately account to investors; significantly reduced costs by streamlining reporting, audit and tax practices.
• Collaborated with outside legal counsel to draft blue sky and regulatory documents; performed due diligence.
THE CENTER COMPANIES, Minneapolis, MN
Accounting Supervisor Real Estate Property Management
• Directed all budgeting, financial planning, and accounting related to common area for national mega-mall manager.
• Interfaced with department heads to meet corporate operational, financial and employment objectives and goals.
• Successfully led department and improved the planning and financial analysis process by advancing team-building practices and streamlining procedures; hired, trained and coached staff.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL AND NONPROFIT ACTIVITIES
Collaborative Solutions Institute, Inc., Cofounder/ Former Board Member: Created organization dedicated to providing educational, therapeutic and dispute resolution programs; advanced mission by collaborating with nonprofit organizations and judiciary.
Washington State Bar, Treasurer of Dispute Resolution Section: Co-chair of task force studying dispute resolution programs in Washington; dedicated to advancing and enhancing dispute resolution usage.
Association for Conflict Resolution, Advanced Practitioner Member: Consulted and mentored new members; promoted professional development and best practices by providing workshops.
Mediation Council of Illinois, Former Director/Treasurer: Improved and expanded profession by evaluating ethics, monitoring professional standards, and developing conferences.
Victim Offender Reconciliation Program of McLean County, Illinois, Former Director: Expanded program and outreach by partnering with governmental entities to advance adult offender program; developed mediation training programs.
McLean County Domestic Violence Board, Former Advisory Member: Championed and assessed domestic violence program by collaborating with representatives from diverse community groups.
SELECTED TRAINING AND FACILITATION
Adjunct Professor, Business Law, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Business Mediation with Erickson Mediation Institute, Inc., St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
Victim Offender Reconciliation Training, McLean County, IL
Civil Mediation Training, Town of Normal, IL
Family Mediation Lecturer, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Bringing Children Into Mediation, Association of Conflict Resolution Annual Conference
SELECTED WRITING AND PUBLICATIONS
McLean County Administrative Hearing Officer Rules and Procedures ()
Preparing Your Client For Parenting and Financial Mediation, Illinois Bar Journal, August , Volume
