Steve Zikman has more than 20 years of experience helping individuals and organizations reach agreement and find creative resolutions to their conflicts.

During his time as an attorney in private practice, Steve was seen by his peers as a natural problem solver. He represented local and international clients negotiating transactions and settlements on their behalf, and presenting their interests to government representatives, task forces, commissions, boards, panels, arbitrators, judges, as well as communities, neighborhood associations and those participating in a broad range of public policy and multi-stakeholder processes. His clients included public agencies, stakeholders, private corporations, individuals and interest groups, developers, municipalities, community and neighborhood associations, and museums. Steve’s well-honed mediation skills, patience, persistence, creativity and reassuring approach, especially in emotionally charged matters, resulted in a roster of ‘win-win’ results.

As a Certified Facilitator, Steve has led a series of transformative programs directed at achieving greater understanding and healing.

Steve brings this diverse background to his work as a neutral Fact Finder, Mediator, Facilitator, Consensus Builder, Arbitrator, Settlement Officer, and Dispute Resolution Consultant.

Steve Zikman’s practice area includes:

• Public Policy;
• Environmental and Conservation;
• Land Use Planning/Zoning;
• Transportation;
• Community design, neighborhood relations, homeowner associations (HOA) and other community-related issues;
• Eminent domain and expropriation;
• Construction defects;
• Employment and workplace-related matters;
• Consumer, commercial, contract, media/communications;
• International conflict resolution, peacebuilding and cross-cultural issues.

Steve is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Environmental Law section, Real Property Law section (Land Use committee), and Employment Law section (ADR committee), the American Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution section (International committee, Environment, Natural Resources and Public Policy committee), the Development Executive Group, and the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA).

Certified as a Mediator by the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Steve has completed additional training in Environmental and Public Policy disputes through the Western Justice Center and is taking his LL.M. (Masters of Law) in Conflict Resolution at Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute.

Steve serves as a mediator with the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Services and the Los Angeles County Superior Court Mediation Program.

As a best-selling author and award-winning journalist, Steve’s most recent title is “Doing Good for Goodness’ Sake,” a collection of short, inspiring stories with a foreword by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Harry Belafonte, encouraging others to make a difference, either close to home or in the global community. Steve is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and the International Society of Travel Writers. His other books include the best-selling series titles “Chicken Soup for the Traveler’s Soul” and “Chicken Soup for the Nature Lover’s Soul,” and “The Power of Travel: A Passport to Adventure, Discovery & Growth.”

Born and raised in Canada, Steve has lived in Germany and South Africa, and has visited more than 50 countries on six continents. He views travel as a powerful path toward mutual understanding and global peace. He is the founder of The Next Fork and Journeys 4 Attorneys providing engaging and transformative trips that focus on using travel as a catalyst for change.

Steve also enjoys time in his studio creating collage and assemblage art, and is a member of the Collage Artists of America. He now makes his home in South Pasadena, California and can often be found hiking with young son Joaquin in the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.