Laura M. Mazza
Effective mediation requires more than just legal knowledge; it requires a listener who can translate complex conflict into clear solutions. Laura Mazza has spent many years at the forefront of employment and personal injury law, earning a reputation as both a formidable advocate and a community-minded leader. Whether navigating sensitive workplace issues or high-stakes injury claims, Laura provides a balanced, neutral environment where all voices are heard and practical settlements are achieved.
Why Laura?
Strategic Insight. Balanced Perspective. Proven Resolution.
A founding partner of Bain Mazza & Debski LLP, Laura Mazza brings many years of high-stakes litigation experience to her mediation practice. Since 2009, she has specialized in employment and personal injury law, bringing a deep understanding of the legal landscape to the mediation table to foster fair, effective, and lasting resolutions. Building on a career of representing clients in hundreds of mediations alongside her partner, Katie Bain, Laura has formally expanded her practice into neutral dispute resolution. She completed specialized mediation training through UC Davis, effectively bridging her extensive litigation background with the advanced techniques required for her new role as a professional mediator. Decades of counseling clients through their most challenging legal disputes have honed Laura’s ability to listen with profound empathy. At the mediation table, she ensures every voice is heard while delivering difficult, necessary insights with a compassion that bridges divides. This unique approach allows her to facilitate resolutions where both parties feel respected and satisfied with the outcome.
Distinguished Leadership & Neutrality.
Laura’s reputation for balanced judgment is backed by her extensive leadership in the Northern California legal community:
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Past President of the San Mateo County Bar Association (SMCBA) (2022).
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Former Co-Chair of the SMCBA’s Labor and Employment Law Section.
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Executive Board Member for the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association (SMCTLA).
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Co-Founder of non-profit Attorneys Backing the Community (ABC), highlighting her commitment to service and collaborative problem-solving.
Trial-Tested Insight for Mediated Success.
As a first-chair trial attorney in both employment and personal injury cases, Laura possesses the real world insight necessary to evaluate the potential risks and benefits of litigation. This deep wealth of experience—ranging from personal injury to complex workplace disputes—allows her to guide parties through the mediation process with personal experience and empathy.
Academic Excellence & Leadership.
Laura graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Colby College and earned her J.D. from UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). Her legal scholarship has been recognized by the Roger J. Traynor Student Writing Competition, and she is a frequent contributor to Plaintiff Magazine, authoring influential articles on workplace equality and parental rights in the law. She was also recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine from 2013 - 2018 and has been selected as a Super Lawyer every year since 2019.
A Personal Approach to Resolution.
Outside of her mediation practice, Laura is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster youth, a role that underscores her dedication to advocacy and nuanced problem-solving. A resident of Redwood City, she spends her time raising her two children and performing as a singer and guitarist with her band, Midnight Bake Sale.