Paul J. Molinaro, M.D., Esq.
Mediator/Arbitrator​
When complex medical issues drive the value and outcome of a case, attorneys need a neutral who understands both the medicine and the law. Paul J. Molinaro, M.D., J.D. is an active physician with more than three decades of clinical experience and full-time mediator and arbitrator with more than two decades of litigation experience. With an ongoing medical practice and a career spent litigating complex civil matters, he is uniquely positioned to evaluate medical malpractice, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, products liability, pharmaceutical claims, and other medically intensive disputes. Whether the key issue is standard of care, causation, or the long-term impact of a traumatic injury, Dr. Molinaro analyzes cases with clinical precision, practical insight, and the ability to clearly explain complex issues to all parties involved.
Having litigated from both sides of the courtroom, Dr. Molinaro understands the pressures facing plaintiff and defense counsel alike and uses that perspective to move cases toward resolution with efficiency and credibility. Attorneys value his thorough preparation, authoritative analysis, and ability to build trust with litigants while facilitating productive negotiations. His experience as a court-appointed mediator in Los Angeles, Riverside, and Ventura Counties, combined with his private dispute resolution practice, has earned him a reputation for resolving challenging cases where medical complexity and legal strategy intersect.
Practice Areas
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Elder Abuse
- Products Liability
- Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Liability
- Premises Liability
- Real Estate
- Lender Liability
- Construction Defect
- General Civil Litigation
Conflict Resolution Experience
- Dr. Molinaro serves as a mediator on the Los Angeles Superior Court LA Resolve and Mediation Volunteer (MVP) Panels, the Riverside County Superior Court ADR Panel, the Ventura County Superior Court Mediation Panel, and the Riverside County Bar Association Dispute Resolution Service — where parties select him by name from a private panel. He is also a panel arbitrator for the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan through the Office of the Independent Administrator, handling complex medical malpractice arbitrations.
- His cases have included multi-defendant medical malpractice matters with catastrophic outcomes, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, wrongful death, government entity defendants, elder abuse combined with medical negligence, complex real estate disputes, and pre-litigation matters brought directly to private mediation. He was recognized by the Los Angeles Superior Court MVP program for completing 32 mediations in a single twelve-month period, placing second in panel volume for that year.
- His experience as a utilization review physician for over a decade and as a physician advisor on workers’ compensation claims gives him direct insight into how insurers evaluate medical evidence and authorize settlement authority.
Organizations & Achievements
- Board Member, Southern California Association of Healthcare Risk Management (SCAHRM), effective June 2026; Chair, Sponsorship Committee
- Member, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)
- Member, Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA)
- Member, Riverside County Bar Association (RCBA)
- Conference Panelist, SCAHRM 45th Annual Conference, Palm Springs, 2026; Topic: AI as the Standard of Care in Medicine
- Panel Speaker, Los Angeles Superior Court MVP Awards CLE Program; Topic: Damages in Personal Injury Cases
- Founding Partner, Fransen & Molinaro, LLP, Corona, California (2006–present)
- Founder, MD JD Dispute Resolution
- California Real Estate Broker
- Guest, The Litigation Psychology Podcast with Steve Wood, Ph.D., Courtroom Sciences, Episodes 311 and 312, May 2026.
Education & Training
- Certificate in Dispute Resolution, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, 2024. Completed an intensive multi-semester graduate program including Mediation Theory and Practice, Negotiation Theory and Practice, Psychology of Conflict Communication, Arbitration Practice and Advocacy, Divorce and Family Mediation, Entertainment Industry Disputes, and Conflict Systems Design for Corporations and Organizations.
- J.D., Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law, 2005
- M.D., University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, 1991; Post-Graduate Medical Training, San Bernardino County Medical Center, University of California, Irvine affiliate
- Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, New York City, 1991–1992; studied under Sanford Meisner whose technique is built on authentic listening and genuine human response.
- B.A., Biology, Lafayette College, 1987
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Testimonials From People We’ve Helped
Very professional place to mediate a legal matter. Many places to have a private conversation, comfortable surroundings
Linda L Mitchell
Honorable Mary Thornton House mediated over our impossible case. I never thought this could get resolved, as we were stuck on both sides for almost 4 years. Honorable Mary Thornton House listened to both sides and was able to communicate in a way that both sides understood. She was tenacious, diligent and had attention to details with the accounting and figures presented. We went back and forth into the night. But, she was able to calmly able to get a resolution on both sides. The honorable judge said that in ruling a case in court. You have an instant friend and a permanent enemy. In this case, I received a fair resolution. Grateful, that I did not have to go to court. Glad that our case got resolved. I highly recommend honorable Mary Thornton House