Best Mediators & Arbitrators 2022
Smyser Kaplan & Veselka, L.L.P.
Smyser Kaplan & Veselka, L.L.P. is a Houston arbitration firm. The group features a team of top attorneys with decades of experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in multimillion as well as multibillion dollar cases and handles arbitrations, trials, investigations, and appeals for commercial disputes, white collar cases, intellectual property, healthcare, energy, and securities. One of the founding partners is a member of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration, and the firm has been recognized as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Appellate and by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers.
The Lincoln Law Firm, PLLC
The Lincoln Law Firm, PLLC brings over 15 years of legal experience to Houston mediation clients. The group deals with family law issues such as divorce, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, domestic violence, and estate planning services and often incorporate mediation, negotiation, and collaborative law into its work. The founding attorney is a member of the Collaborative Family Law Institute of Texas and served as a Texas Family Law Foundation Member.
Grossman Law Firm, P.C.
Grossman Law Firm, P.C. has almost 40 years of experience in mediation in the Humble area. The personal injury and wrongful death practice handles a wide range of cases from daycare injuries to oil rig explosions, and the founder is a certified mediator by the University of Houston Law Center Blakely Advocacy Institute. The office seeks to negotiate settlements on behalf of clients without a lengthy and expensive court battle and has been rated a Top Lawyer by H-Texas Magazine.
MehaffyWeber, P.C.
MehaffyWeber, P.C. has been serving the Houston area with mediation and arbitration counsel since 1946. The full-service legal office focuses on litigation but also offers superb mediation, with one top attorney having successfully mediated over 3,800 cases, as well as arbitration and other alternative dispute resolutions. The group works via the American Arbitration Association and has extensive experience with drafting and enforcing formal dispute resolution provisions in contracts as well. MehaffyWeber is rated AV Preeminent and has been named to Super Lawyers.
Jenkins & Kamin, LLP
Jenkins & Kamin, LLP brings decades of combined experience in mediation and arbitration to Houston clients. The family law office has extensive experience in successful alternative dispute resolution, and both partners are certified mediators. One of the partners is also certified by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in arbitration and received the David Gibson Award for Professionalism and Excellence in the practice of Family Law. The office has also been recognized by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers.
Robert Reid McInvale Attorney at Law
Robert Reid McInvale Attorney at Law is a Houston mediation legal practice. The firm exclusively handles marital and family law issues, including child protective services and restraining orders, and promotes using mediation programs to spare families the expense and stress of lengthy court battles. The founding partner is rated AV Preeminent and is known for his community involvement on policy issues regarding the welfare of children.
Bankston & Associates
Bankston & Associates has been an arbitration and mediation office in Houston since 1977. The founding attorney is a Board Certified Attorney and Distinguished Credentialed Mediator with almost 20 years of mediation experience and also handles arbitration, early case evaluation, negotiation consulting, complex case management, special master and ad litem work, and some trial work. The practice has handled cases in a wide range of areas and has been recognized by Super Lawyers and the Multi-Million Dollars Advocates Forum.
Susan S. Soussan
Susan S. Soussan has been handling arbitration and mediation in Houston since 1990. The former Texas District Judge and commercial litigator has mediated over 6,500 cases and arbitrated over 250 cases in the such fields as contract disputes, energy disputes, power plant contract disputes healthcare, intellectual property, class actions, and FLSA collective and class actions. The founder is Credentialed Distinguished with the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association, a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, and a member of the American Arbitration Association.
Fran Brochstein, LLC
Fran Brochstein, LLC brings over 25 years of legal experience to Houston mediation clients. The office handles uncontested family law cases and promotes mediation as a way to save money and resolve issues quickly, especially when children are involved. The attorney is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, Houston Chapter and is a Credentialed Distinguished Mediator with the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association. She also was named one of Houston’s Top Lawyers/Mediators by H–Texas Magazine.
Holmes, Diggs, Eames & Sadler
Holmes, Diggs, Eames & Sadler is a Houston mediation law firm with decades of experience. The family law and divorce specialists help couples handle the multiple aspects of divorce outside of the courtroom with successful mediation. The group has been interviewed in numerous media outlets, is Board Certified in Family Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and has been named in Fortune's Women Leaders in Law and Super Lawyers.
Gauntt, Koen, Binney, & Kidd, LLP
Gauntt, Koen, Binney, & Kidd, LLP has been a mediation and arbitration legal practice since 1998. Clients engage the office's certified mediators for pre and post-litigation for a range of areas including estate disputes, investment fraud cases, errors and omissions claims, construction disputes, business disputes, and insurance disputes. The group is known for individualized attention and has been recognized as AV Preeminent and by Super Lawyers.
Expert Answers To Common Questions:
- What is mediation?
- What is arbitration?
- Is arbitration or mediation better?
- How do I choose a mediator or arbitrator?
- What is an arbitration agreement?
- What is mandatory arbitration?
- What should I expect in child custody mediation?
- How does divorce mediation work?
- What happens when divorce mediation fails?
- Q: What is mediation?
- A: Mediation is an alternative to going to trial during legal disputes. The parties on both sides agree to work with an impartial third party who oversees discussions concerning the matter in dispute. The goal and hope of mediation is to come to a settlement or compromise that is agreeable to both parties. The mediator doesn't represent either party but works with both to help ensure that discussions are civil and agreements are as fair as possible given the situation. In many cases, if mediation fails, then the parties can move on to a trial in court.
- Q: What is arbitration?
- A: Arbitration is another alternative to a court trial, but it's a bit more formal than mediation. During the arbitration, evidence and testimony is presented to a panel of people who act as judges of sorts. They issue an opinion about the matter in writing, and depending on how the arbitration was entered into, it may or may not be binding. If it's binding, the parties must accept and abide by the decisions of the arbitrators. Commonly, each side selects a third-party arbitrator, and each of those people selects a third person.
- Q: Is arbitration or mediation better?
- A: Arbitration and mediation both have pros and cons, and which one is right for you depends on your personal preferences, legal goals, and the details of your case. Mediation can offer more control, and because of that, those who go through it tend to report a higher level of satisfaction. But arbitration is more formal and may provide a more structured environment, which may be needed if civil discussions aren't possible.
- Q: How do I choose a mediator or arbitrator?
- A: If you can choose a mediator or arbitrator, it's critical to look for a neutral third party. Someone who is in any way tied to either side or who might have a known strong opinion on matters related to the case may not be the best option. Legal knowledge is important for mediators and arbitrators, but arbitrators should also have court experience. Retired or former judges or trial lawyers may be good choices for arbitrators, for example.
- Q: What is an arbitration agreement?
- A:
An arbitration agreement waives your right to seek legal remedies in court under certain circumstances, specifically, if you and the other party have unresolved disputes. You submit to binding arbitration over all matters, which can be somewhat risky as arbitration agreements are usually requested by companies that have arbitration processes set up, and those processes may not be impartial.
- Q: What is mandatory arbitration?
- A: Mandatory arbitration occurs when someone is forced to use arbitration as a means of settling an issue. One of the most common scenarios for this is employment. Employers may require that employees sign an arbitration agreement before they can begin work. The employees then give up some rights to go to court over certain employment issues.
- Q: What should I expect in child custody mediation?
- A:
During a child custody mediation, the mediator will likely encourage each party to focus on the needs of the child or children. The parties work together to agree on custody. They typically won't discuss matters of child support, marital property, or other factors of the divorce—unless the mediation is for the whole divorce. If you are attending mediation, it is advised to come prepared to discuss what's in the best interest of your children and situation, but also be prepared to reach a compromise.
- Q: How does divorce mediation work?
- A: Divorce mediation enables two parties to work together to come to decisions about their divorce with the guidance of a third-party mediator. The mediator may help to work through child custody, child support, property division, and other divorce matters. You'll need to pay the mediator for their services, which may be a cost you split. Be prepared to make a civil and calm case for your side of issues, but know that mediation is about coming to a compromise that works for both parties.
- Q: What happens when divorce mediation fails?
- A:
Mediation is a voluntary process, and both parties must put in the work for it to succeed. If either party stops working toward a compromise, the mediation can fail. And, it can also fail if the parties reach a point that they simply can't agree. In such cases, you might choose another course of action, such as arbitration or a court trial.