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"Time is your most important asset. Don't waste your time. Spend your money foolishly and your time wisely because its a lot easier to know what you have in the bank then what you have left." ~Sandy Koufax



My Philosophy and Approach

Improvisational Negotiation. This phrase summarizes Krivis’ philosophy for a successful and dynamic mediated negotiation. A successful mediation needs both keen legal insight gained from years of litigation experience as well as a creative, unscripted approach.

Exploring this idea with further study led Krivis to venture onto the stage as a stand-up comedian. Ultimately, he authored a book entitled Improvisational Negotiation: A Mediator’s Stories of Conflict About Love, Money and Anger – and the Strategies that Resolved Them (Wiley/Jossey-Bass 2006). This book received the 2006 Outstanding Book Award from the CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution.

Krivis began his mediation practice in 1989 breaking open a niche in the Southern California dispute resolution landscape. He crafted a process that sets the stage for successful resolution. Through improvising, harmonizing, and always closing, he has resolved thousands of disputes including wage and hour and consumer class actions, entertainment, mass tort, employment, business, complex insurance, product liability and wrongful death matters.

Krivis practices primarily in Southern California, San Francisco and Monterey, California. He enjoys golf, photography, and music including blues guitar, jazz, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles. Recently, he made a pilgrimage to Liverpool to revel in the birthplace of the Beatles. He lives in Southern California with his wife Amy. They have two married daughters and three grandchildren.

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Knighted by the International Academy of Mediators in 2013

"Don't follow leaders, watch your parking meters."

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Tagore Subramaniam

Creative. Curious. Driven.



Tagore specializes in complex and emotionally charged disputes. Teaming up with Jeffrey Krivis, Tagore was part of the mediation team responsible for resolving over a thousand nationwide sexual assault claims, and has extensive experience mediating employment, class action, personal injury, and PAGA matters.

A first-generation Los Angeles native and son of Latin American and Indian immigrants, Tagore grew up visiting his father on the Hollywood and Bollywood movie sets where he worked as a first assistant director.

Tagore spent his youth immersed in the arts, starting his first business at age 18 producing music videos and commercials. On the weekends, he played guitar in local bands and was a competitive chess player. His interest in creative pursuits was balanced by an equal passion for analysis, debate, and philosophy. This combination of analytic and emotional intuition is a hallmark of Tagore’s mediation style.

A Regent Scholar at UCLA, he graduated summa cum laude in philosophy with honors. He attended Boston University School of Law and subsequently externed for the Hon. Sandra Ikuta on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, before practicing for 11 years as a litigator. As a client advocate, Tagore helped build one of Southern California’s most prominent employment litigation firms. As one of the firm’s managing attorneys, he resolved hundreds of class action and single plaintiff disputes and was regularly recognized among the top employment lawyers in Los Angeles.

Known for his pragmatic and resolution-oriented approach, Tagore was part of a select group of attorneys that served on the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Ad Hoc Wage and Hour Class Action Committee. In this capacity, he worked with the Court as well as plaintiff and defense counsel to draft the LASC model settlement agreements for class actions and representative PAGA actions.

Tagore's extensive experience makes him uniquely positioned as a mediator to credibly discuss with parties the strengths and weaknesses of their case.

Tagore lives in Venice Beach, CA with his wife Leyla and their labradoodle Piper. When he is not mediating, he can be found surfing, rock-climbing, reading (too many) books on Abraham Lincoln, and playing jazz guitar.


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BIOGRAPHIES

Improvise

IMPROVISE

INSPIRATION & BOOKS AUTHORED

Harmonize

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RECOMMENDED READING & WRITTEN WORKS

Resolve

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