“I have had two successful mediations with Judge Otte –  both difficult matters, with a great deal of emotions embedded into the litigation. Judge Otte was able to help the clients understand the risks of not resolving and focused on the ultimate benefit of coming to a resolution. He never forced his position or opinions on the clients, but helped them come to their own conclusions about why resolution was in their best interest. I have added Judge Otte to the mediators that I will continue use and recommend to others. “

“Judge Otte is a prepared, patient listener who establishes rapport. He helped my client see options for resolution and deftly guided the parties. Engaged but not overly so. Plan on having his trademark cookies mid-afternoon. He is on my short list.”

“Judge Otte came into a difficult post-death administration that was mired in emotional baggage. The parties had not been able to move past that and this kept their case languishing for years, wasting time and generating unnecessary expenses for all involved. Judge Otte was able to help them broaden their perspectives and realize a straightforward path to a resolution that was not only good for the collective, but benefited each individual party.”

“Judge Otte did a fantastic job keep negotiations realistic and consistently moved the parties closer to settlement. With his help, we were able to reach a settlement agreement that I did not think was possible at the start of mediation.”

“I would recommend using Judge Otte as a mediator.  He helped my clients settle a complex case at mediation which I did not expect to settle.  Before agreeing to use Judge Otte as the mediator, I was a bit apprehensive because I had not used him before or practiced in front of him, but now I am glad that we agreed to use him.”

“I truly appreciated Judge Otte’s thoughtful and strategic approach to mediation. He built trust with my client, ensured decisions were made carefully rather than emotionally, and skillfully guided the process to make meaningful progress while preserving opportunities for future negotiation. I would not hesitate to recommend him to colleagues.”

“Judge Otte’s knowledge and experience as an attorney and judge is invaluable. But Judge Otte also has an ability to make an almost immediate connection with a litigant and build trust during negotiations. It is the combination of Judge Otte’s legal expertise and understanding of human nature that makes the mediation so effective.”

“With the Judge’s skilled assistance, we were able to settle a very complicated and contentious estate dispute after years of litigation. He knew when to press and when to be patient with the process. And, he was willing to continue working when I am quite certain others would have thrown in the proverbial towel and declared impasse. Judge Otte comes with my highest recommendation.”

“Judge Otte did a fantastic job helping us resolve a complicated, long-standing family dispute. He was well prepared, had a command of the issues, and was determined to find a solution even when the prospect of doing so looked bleak. I highly recommend him when you need a mediator who will do much more than simply relay offers.”  

“Rob was an engaged neutral mediator, unlike some others that I have used which occasionally turn into nothing more than a human conveyor of demands/offers. Rob was personable. Easy to be around. Interacted well with the client. Appropriately opinionated but did not want to nor become the main player in the mediation. He was very well prepared. It was obvious he had read the materials available and reviewed Justice. His fees were fair and reasonable. I appreciate his post-mediation efforts to ensure that everything that could have been done to resolve the case was pursued.”

“Rob Otte agreed to mediate a family feud that first went to court in 2005. The family tried its case three times, appealed to the Supreme Court three times, and kept fighting. As the family approached a fourth trial and at least one more round of appeals (probably more), Rob found a way to get everyone to a settlement that separates the family property permanently and lets individuals look for a way to be siblings instead of enemies.  The final mediation ended at 1:05 am, 21 years after the first salvo was filed in court! The entire cadre of involved lawyers was very pleased with Rob’s work.”