John H. Reaves retired from the practice of law in early 2026. He received his law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1983, where he was a member of the law review. His practice primarily involved disputes, litigation, and appeals concerning business, contracts, leases, real property, real estate, homeowners’ associations, landlord/tenant, business insurance coverage, land use and environmental matters, CERCLA, and more.
He has been mediating since 2012 and co-founded the Land Use and Environmental Mediation Group, a division of the National Conflict Resolution Center, in San Diego that year. He has served as a Settlement Master in over 150 cases for the Santa Barbara Superior Court since 2019.