The Virtual MSC program is supported by volunteer Settlement Officers who conduct MSCs virtually through Zoom. To qualify to act as a Settlement Officer in this program, attorneys must have at least 10 years of litigation experience and be a member of ASCDC, BHBA, CAALA, CELA, LA-ABOTA or LACBA. If you are not a member of these organizations, please review the membership criteria for each organization and become a member of the appropriate organization before registering as a Settlement Officer.
Each Settlement Officer must perform a conflict check in each case to which they are assigned and will be required to confirm the absence of conflicts in each case.
Each MSC will have one Plaintiff Settlement Officer and one Defense Settlement Officer. No judges will be present, though the Los Angeles County Superior Court will have a judge available to assist the parties if necessary. Settlement Officers will be able to contact a Los Angeles County Superior Court MSC judge through instructions on their Dashboard.
The litigants and their counsel will not know the names of the Settlement Officers until the date and time of the Virtual MSC.
After signing up, each Settlement Officer will be able to register for MSC duty through the MSC Duty Scheduler, which is an easy-to-use online calendar.
The Resolve Law LA system can only assign a case to a Settlement Officer based on the availability provided by that Officer.
When the Resolve Law LA system assigns a case to a Settlement Officer, the Officer will receive a notification from resolvelawla.com with case details. Upon notification of assignment to a specific case, each Settlement Officer is required to conduct a thorough conflict check and confirm whether or not a conflict exists. If a conflict exists, the case will be reassigned to a different Settlement Officer.
If the Resolve Law LA system has not assigned a case to a Settlement Officer within two days of the time and date identified by the Officer as available, the system will be close that Officer's availability for that date and time and send the Officer an email alerting them that their services are not needed for that particular date and time.
If the case assigned to a Settlement Officer settles or the MSC cancels prior to the Virtual MSC, Officers will be notified as soon as possible.
Per the Superior Court of Los Angeles County's applicable Standing Order re Resolve Law LA Virtual MSC Program, five (5) court days before the MSC, the parties are required to upload MSC briefs to the system. If an MSC has been scheduled at a time when there are not five days before the MSC, the MSC Brief is to be uploaded no later than two days before the MSC. Briefs are limited to 5 pages and 10 pages of exhibits. Settlement Officers have discretion to disregard any documents submitted which exceed these limits.
When the Resolve Law LA system receives an MSC brief, both Settlement Officers assigned to the case will be notified and can access the brief online from the Settlement Officer Dashboard. MSC briefs are accessible only by the Settlement Officers assigned to the case and by counsel for the party who originally uploaded the brief. The Resolve Law LA system does not serve MSC Briefs on opposing counsel.
On the date of the Virtual MSC, Settlement Officers will need to sign in at least 15 minutes before the Virtual MSC is set to begin. The Settlement Officer Dashboard will display a button next to the case set for MSC which is labeled, "Join Virtual MSC." Settlement Officers are to join the Virtual MSC through the resolvelawla.com website ONLY; do not attempt to join the MSC through a Zoom link.
It will be the responsibility of both Settlement Officers to run the Zoom meeting, including to assign the parties and their respective counsel to separate breakout rooms. Click here to access written and video tutorials about how to use Zoom, including how to use breakout rooms. Be sure to have reviewed these tutorials before conducting the MSC.
The parties and any insurance adjusters are required to attend per the Superior Court of Los Angeles County’s applicable Standing Order re Resolve Law LA Virtual MSC Program. Each party and insurance adjuster is required by Court order to have full authority to resolve the matter, even if originally authorized limits are exceeded in settlement negotiations. If an insurance adjuster does not have the ability to decide whether to settle for any and all amounts, persons who do have full authority must be available to join the MSC.
A fillable form Settlement Agreement is available for download. The Resolve Law LA System does not provide for electronic execution of settlement related documents. Counsel for the parties should download the fillable Settlement Agreement, input all appropriate terms into the form, and obtain execution by their clients via email, fax, or electronic signature, per the preferences and services used by each attorney.
A form Stipulation for Retention of Jurisdiction per C.C.P. Section 664.6 and [Proposed] Order and Request for Dismissal forms are also provided should counsel need them.
The settlement related documents are not to be uploaded to the Resolve Law LA system. They should be exchanged between counsel and filed with the Court where appropriate.
Once the MSC is complete, the Settlement Officers must complete a survey regarding the results of the MSC.