OLIVIA SINAIKO

 OLIVIA SINAIKO is a mediator and collaborative attorney, whose practice is dedicated to helping parties in conflict find workable paths forward.  Her expertise lies in working with long-term and on-going relationships, such as those between divorcing couples, co-parents, adult family members, neighbors, and co-workers.  With a focus on fostering mutual understanding, Olivia skillfully helps people resolve their disputes in ways that open the door to enhanced communication and cooperation going forward. 

Olivia has devoted her career to helping people navigate conflict in a way that is both respectful and productive.  After graduating from Yale Law School and clerking for Chief Justice Walter L. Carpeneti of the Alaska Supreme Court, Olivia lived and worked in Juneau, Alaska, where she spent three years facilitating creative solutions to natural resource conflicts.  Olivia worked with a wide range of stakeholders in this role, including  tribal governments, rural communities, and individuals throughout southeast Alaska, as well as municipalities, corporations, non-profit advocacy groups, state and federal agencies, and the U.S. Senate. She was recognized for her distinctive approach to conflict in this arena: aiming to resolve the dispute at hand, while utilizing the dispute resolution process as a unique opportunity to improve working relationships between the parties for the long-term.  In recognition and support of this work, Olivia was awarded Yale Law School's Arthur Liman Public Interest Fellowship in 2012. 

That same year, Olivia expanded her consensual dispute resolution practice to include divorces and custody disputes as a mediator with the Alaska State Court System.  In her time with the courts, Olivia successfully mediated cases for the Child Custody and Visitation Program, as well as the Early Resolution Project, helping parents navigate the challenges of co-parenting while improving their ability to navigate future challenges independently.

In 2014, Olivia joined Suzan Barrie Aiken's consensual dispute resolution practice in the San Francisco Bay Area.  In addition to her private practice, Olivia serves as a Settlement Panelist with the Marin County Superior Court, including in the context of the county's innovative Interdisciplinary Settlement Conference program, addressing high conflict custody matters.  In 2017, Olivia was selected by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Northern California.

Prior to earning her J.D. from Yale Law School, Olivia graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University, where she received a B.A. in Philosophy with distinction, the university's highest undergraduate honors.  She has formally trained in mediation with Gary Friedman of the Center for Understanding in Conflict, Zena Zumeta of the Mediation Training and Consultation Institute, Kenneth Cloke of the Center for Dispute Resolution, and Dana Curtis of the Elder Mediation Group.  Olivia is also a trained collaborative attorney.  

Olivia currently serves as a board member with San Francisco's Community Boards, the oldest public conflict resolution center in the United States.  She is also a member of the California State Bar, Collaborative Practice East Bay, and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.  In addition to her professional roles, Olivia has the privilege of serving as a volunteer caregiver with the Zen Hospice Project.

olivia@aiken-sinaiko.com
(415)332-9400