background

Michelle Wodynski, Esq. is the founder of REAL TALK MEDIATION. She is highly-regarded in her field and among her peers, and has earned her reputation as a formidable and successful advocate, counselor, facilitator and professional listener.

Looking at her impressive 20-year legal career, it’s no surprise that she has been a competitive athlete her entire life. She is a “big firm” trained lawyer — working for two prestigious international law firms, and later founded her own law practice with strategic partnerships - nationally & internationally. She is an expert at cultivating and managing relationships.

Michelle has represented numerous Fortune 500 clients, Fortune 100, Global 500, high profile businesses, celebrities, athletes and a multitude of media and emerging growth companies in a wide variety of legal fields.

In 2019, Michelle founded REAL TALK MEDIATION due to high demand for her skill set as a mediator, facilitator, settlement officer and her per se business-legal “talk therapy.” She recently helped client’s successfully settle numerous high-conflict disputes. She has over 100 hours of mediation and negotiation training and recently completed the LASC Judicial Council training.

In 2021, she started her family law “early dispute program” for couples who are contemplating separation or divorce (with or without children) and has recently resolved several high-conflict family disputes with success.

Michelle has a collaborate network of other mediators, attorneys, former judges, psychologists and other professionals that she teams up with when needed for the client.

training

Michelle has represented numerous Fortune 500 clients, Fortune 100, Global 500, high profile businesses, celebrities, athletes and a multitude of media and emerging growth companies as a lawyer for over the past twenty (20+) years, so her mediation techniques and knowledge are based on an in-depth understanding of many areas of law..

Michelle is highly regarded and has been selected as a Super Lawyer for 2021, 2020, 2019 (Top 5%), Top 50 Lawyers in California (special recognition from the Top 100 Magazine), and Top 100 California Lawyers. Michelle was honored to be chosen as the featured women on the cover of Top 50 Women 2019.

She is well-rounded and equally accomplished as an athlete, philanthropist, spiritual warrior, speaker, mediator, and author, for starters. In her words, “Don’t put me in the traditional lawyer’s box!”  Michelle attributes her success to a Zen mindset, Texas sass and grit, an irrepressible sense of humor and pristine credentials.

Michelle also has over 100 hours of training as a mediator for local and international disputes, which adds to her ability to advocate either as a client representative at mediation or serve as a neutral mediator or facilitator.

expertise

Successful resolution examples::

• Idaho Supreme Court / Free Speech-Contract Win

• California Central District / Million Dollar Contract/IP/Intl

• Federal Circuit Court / Patent/IP

• Tenth Circuit Court / First Amendment/Contrac

• Ninth Circuit Court / Contract-IP-Entertainment

• Fourth Circuit Court / Intellectual Property-Contract

• Trademark Trial and Appeal Board / Cancellation

• Superior Court of California /Multi-Million Dollar Contract

• High Court of Justice of Madrid Spain / Contract

• Supreme Court of Japan /Trademark Appeal Win

• World Intellectual Property Organization / Domain Name

• Russian IP Court / Trademark Appeal-Litigation Win

• JAMS / Contract-Malpractice Win

• AAA / Multi-Million Dollar Contract Win

• High-conflict family dispute in Orange County

• High-conflict family dispute for entertainment clients in Los Angeles