Focus of Practice

Craft Mediation Northwest, LLC. is an employment, civil rights, and government-related mediation boutique that provides neutral, engaged, and confidential resolution services to parties involved in workplace disputes and litigation throughout the Pacific Northwest. Founded by Rob Milesnick - full time mediator, former Assistant U.S. Attorney and past Washington and Oregon employment litigator, Craft Mediation Northwest resolves disputes in litigation drawing on vast experience in litigation involving employment, civil rights, city/state/federal public employee claims, complex civil litigation cases, gender and sex discrimination claims, hostile work environment, EEOC, BOLI, and WSHRC charges, FMLA, ADA, wage and hour, contract, competition and equal pay claims.

Legal Experience

A certified mediator for the past 23 years, Rob served the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney - Civil Division - and in a collateral duty appointment as mediator for EEO disputes with the Executive Office of United States Attorneys. Prior to service as an AUSA, he practiced plaintiff side employment law in Oregon and Washington, and taught Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University. Rob interpersonal, facilitative, and evaluative mediation techniques, based on the needs of the case and the personalities of the parties, and draws on his wide array of litigation experience in state and federal court, mediation, and advanced mediation trainings from the Syracuse University College of Law Mediation Assistance Program, negotiation and mediation training from the U.S. Department of Justices National Advocacy Center, and from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation in conflict management and negotiations.

Court Admissions

Rob is licensed in both Washington and Oregon, and is admitted appear before all state courts, as well as the Western District of WA, the District of Oregon, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Education

Rob received his BA in English and Psychology cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1999, and his JD from Syracuse University College of Law in 2002 where he was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society and the Mediation Assistance Program.

Professional Associations

Rob serves on the Board of Directors and as the Secretary of the Oregon Mediation Association and served on the Board of Governors for the Oregon State Bar from 2020-2024. He is a Court sponsored mediator for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, a volunteer mediator for the Clark County, WA District Court, and follows the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and American Arbitration Association (AAA) model standards of conduct for mediators Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators; as well as Washington and Oregon RCP 2.4.

ADR Training

Syracuse University College of Law - Mediation Assistance Program (40+ Hours Certification followed by community mediations) 2001-2002; USDOJ National Advocacy Center, Negotiations and Mediations (51 Hours) 2024; The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, Mediation and Conflict Management (36+ Hours) 2024.

ADR Experience

Participated as advocate or mediator in approximately 200 mediations, participated as a neutral in approximately 50 mediations. Member of Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys EEO mediator program; volunteer mediator for Clark County, WA District Court mediation program; member District of Oregon Court Sponsored Mediator Panel.

ADR Practice Areas

Business Litigation, Civil Rights, Consumer Protection, Employment, Torts