Education
Elder Abuse
Eminent Domain
Employment
Energy Sector (Oil/Gas)
Insurance
Landlord/Tenant
Legal Malpractice
Local Govt./Municipalities
Medical Malpractice
Nursing Homes
Personal Injury
Police/Law Enforcement
Premises Liability
Probate
Product Liability
Professional Liability, Malpractice and Negligence
Property Damage
Real Estate
Sexual Harassment
Torts
Trusts / Estates
Wrongful Death
Biographical
Having practiced law on the central coast of California since 1982, Craig spent the first eighteen years of his practice with a large, AV rated statewide law firm. He quickly worked his way up to Senior Partner and in 1987 became Managing Partner of the San Luis Obispo Regional Office. He also oversaw the operations of their Ventura, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria Regional Offices from 1987 through 1997. During this time, Mr. McCollum oversaw as many as 40 litigation attorneys and tried numerous civil cases in a variety of jurisdictions.
In January 2000, Craig created Just Resolutions, a new mediation and ADR practice serving central California. Since then, Craig has obtained substantial experience serving as an arbitrator, mediator, discovery referee and as a judge pro-tem in Mandatory Settlement Conferences for the San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County Superior Courts. Craig has presided as a court appointed or agreed upon arbitrator and/or mediator in over 2800 cases. Craig received formal training to enhance his mediation, arbitration and negotiation skills through various professional associations, including the Santa Barbara County CADRe program. He has also completed hundreds of hours of basic and advanced mediation training at Pepperdine University's Straus Institute for Mediation and through other organizations, including courses in mediating construction disputes, medical malpractice, employment and real estate issues.
Education
Craig is a graduate of the University of California at Davis and received his Juris Doctorate degree from McGeorge School of Law, at University of the Pacific in 1981, where he graduated with honors and received a lifetime membership in the Traynor Honor Society. Craig has completed numerous basic, advanced and specialized mediation courses through Pepperdine University, with Kenneth Cloke, and other private mediation trainings over the past 20 years and frequently speaks at presentations on mediation. He has been honored to speak at presentations with Lee Jay Berman, Doug Noll and numerous others. Mr. McCollum has completed training in specialized mediation in the following fields: Employment, Medical Malpractice, Construction, Real Estate, Wrongful Death and Personal Injury, Estates and Trusts. Craig has also trained and served with San Luis Obispo County Hospice regarding death and dying issues, eldercare and respite care issues.
Memberships & Affiliations
San Luis Obispo County Bar Association (ADR Section Co-Chair, 2004 through 2013, Member, Advanced Practitioner Status)
Director of San Luis Obispo Bar Association's Attorney/Client Dispute Mediation Program
Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR)
California Dispute Resolution Council (CDRC), Former Member, Qualifications & Standards Committee
Northern Santa Barbara County Bar Association
Kern County Bar Association
Board of Directors,California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (2008-2018)
San Luis Obispo County Hospice- Volunteer
San Luis Obispo County YMCA Board Member, 1991-1999, 2001-2004
Santa Barbara County YMCA Board Member, 1988
Advisory Committee, San Luis Obispo College of Law, 2016-2017
Past arbitrator with American Arbitration Association
National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Member 2010-2026
Case Experience
ADA Disability
Agricultural
Business Dissolution
Civil Rights
Commercial/Business
Community Associations
Condo/Homeowners' Assoc.
Construction
Contract Disputes