Katherine Gallo is an expert in complex Discovery issues and is actively involved in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a Discovery Referee, Mediator, and Arbitrator since 1994. Since 2010, she has authored a blog on Discovery titled "Resolving Discovery Disputes--Using Discovery to Reach Evaluation, Mediation and Trial Goals".
For the last 30 years, Ms. Gallo has served as a Discovery Referee or Special Master in over 500 complex matters including class actions in the areas of business, construction, elder abuse, employment [including discrimination, harassment, wage and hour and wrongful termination] family law, insurance bad faith, personal injury, probate, product liability, and real property many with multiple party litigants, including class actions. Well known to the judiciary, her court appointments in complex matters have come from the Superior Courts throughout California.
Ms. Gallo regularly sat as a Pro Tem Judge for San Francisco Superior Court’s Discovery Department. She also was a contributor to California Education of the Bar’s (CEB) including creating Discovery forms for the Practitioner, speaking at MCLE seminars on Discovery, and authoring blogs on Discovery for Current Awareness
As a Discovery Referee, Ms. Gallo firmly believes in the “meet and confer” process. She regularly meets with counsel to facilitate a resolution prior to the motion being heard. Knowing that discovery disputes can hinder settlement negotiations and scheduling of dispositive motions, she creates prompt briefing schedules so the dispute can be quickly adjudicated. Ms. Gallo also coordinates with the parties to outline the driving issues in the case and formulates a discovery plan that utilizes existing scheduled hearing dates to manage discovery in the context of overall case management.
Ms. Gallo has also mediated or acted as a pro tem settlement judge in over 500 matters with a 90% settlement rate.
Ms. Gallo is an approved California Bar MCLE provider for Discovery.
