Our Team

Dave Shaw – Denver, CO

Dave Shaw was one of the original founders of Mediation Masters in 1985. After studying and mentoring under Dr. Rick Stokes, one of the pioneering personalities in the California mediation movement, Dave Shaw overlapped his mediation career with the business world where he used his mediation and negotiation skills in business mergers and acquisitions. He was involved in businesses ranging from document management and electronic imaging, to the hospitality industry in which he was involved in building the world’s 1st underwater hotel, to running one of the largest manufacturers of Linux-based email and web servers, to running a company that built a machine that improve cognitive functioning for people with learning disabilities. Additionally, Mr. Shaw has been actively involved the franchising industry for the last 20 years where he has been both a franchisor and a franchisee with a variety of companies ranging from refilling ink and toner cartridges, HOA management services, business consulting services, and a large restaurant franchise.

In addition to being a lead mediator at Mediation Masters, Mr. Shaw is a mediator for the Jefferson County, Colorado court system, the Colorado District 12th Judicial courts as well as “Faith-based mediations” for a number of churches in the Denver area. Mr. Shaw specializes in business related disputes and does most all of his mediations online. He prides himself in helping disputing parties find creative, “out of the box” solutions to their disputes.

Kevin Kilcommons – Clinton, NJ

I enjoy the practice of law very much, especially after 30+ years. I have extensive experience in commercial litigation, transactional law, corporate law and real estate (commercial and residential). Further, I have represented clients in numerous mediation, arbitrations (alternative dispute resolution- “ADR”). I received a certification in mediation from New Jersey ICLE.

Of all the areas of law in which I have practiced, my favorite subject is franchise law. Franchising involves several industries (food, health, sports, etc. – with nearly 10,000 franchise brands in the USA alone), which require specialized legal knowledge of the FTC regulations, federal and state statutes, and federal and state court decisions. Further, franchise law requires legal experience in several disciplines, including contract review and drafting, transactions, and ADR/litigation.

Why Franchise Law? I get entrepreneurs and I enjoy working with them. Their enthusiasm is infectious and they appreciate straight talk and honest, hard work from their attorney. I have formed and assisted a local company succeed as a national franchisor (ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as a top 500 franchisor again in January 2018 – having gained nearly 100 slots since the 2017 ranking!), and I have assisted many Franchisees – from review and explanation of their FDDs, negotiating revisions to franchise terms, help in ramping-up their franchise businesses (forming legal entities, reviewing and negotiating commercial leases, negotiating land use issues for brick and mortar units), and negotiating or litigating disputes between Franchisors and Franchisees.

Over many years of practice, I have become extremely proficient in this select and challenging field of law, and I have the skill set to assist either Franchisors or Franchisees to succeed in this challenging business environment.

Ellen Lokker – Reston, VA

Ellen Lokker has nearly 30 years’ experience as a commercial litigator, with an emphasis on franchise disputes. Prior to establishing her own law office in 2001, Ellen was a partner at a pre­ eminent international law firm in Washington, DC.

Ellen has extensive experience in all aspects of civil trial work, as well as significant appellate experience in state and federal courts. She also regularly represents parties in arbitration and mediation of business disputes and frequently provides franchise and general business counseling to entrepreneurs.

Ellen is a frequent speaker and author on litigation and franchise-related topics. She is an active member of the American Bar Association (ABA). She served for ten years as an editor of the ABA’s Franchise Law Journal and is a former vice chair of the ABA Antitrust Section’s Distribution and Franchising Committee.

Ellen was named a “Legal Eagle” by Franchise Times in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 in recognition of her expertise and dedication to the practice of franchise law.

Ellen is licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Ellen received her B.A., with distinction, and her J.D. from the University of Virginia.