Phyllis Cheng '74, M.Ed. '76

Dr. Phyllis Cheng, Esq., '74, M.Ed. '76 (Life Member), has joined the neutral panel of ADR Services, Inc., one of the leading providers of alternative dispute resolution services in California.

For nearly seven years, Cheng was director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), the largest state civil rights agency in the United States. As director, she oversaw six- and seven-figure settlements, including the largest settlements in DFEH history. She was also a senior appellate court attorney; a deputy attorney general with the Civil Rights Enforcement Section of the California Department of Justice; a partner with DLA Piper’s employment practice; and a two-term commissioner and vice-chair of the Fair Employment and Housing Commission.

Recognized as the 2012 Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year, Cheng brings extensive experience to her dispute resolution practice. As a private mediator and as a panelist for the U.S. District Court and the California Court of Appeal, Cheng has settled significant matters in the areas of employment, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; wage and hour; class actions; civil rights; attorney’s fees; housing discrimination; and public accommodations and disability access. For more information, including case summaries, see http://www.adrservices.com/neutrals/cheng-phyllis/.

Cheng received her B.A. in Painting|Sculpture|Graphic Arts; she received her Ph.D., in Planning, from USC in 1987 and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in 1993.