Mediator Resume

With more than 30 years’ experience as a commercial litigator and 20 years’ experience as an arbitrator and mediator, successfully handles commercial, construction, estate and trust, fidelity and professional liability disputes. Serves as arbitrator and mediator of commercial disputes for AAA, FINRA and the EDLA.

Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard - Shareholder

Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator

Shareholder, Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard, 2016 - Present; Partner, Montgomery Barnett LLP, 2008-2015; Partner, Patrick, Miller, Burnside & Belleau, LLC, 1998-2008; Shareholder, Slater Law Firm, A Professional Corporation, 1997-1998; Attorney, Ashley L. Belleau, Attorney at Law, 1996-1997; Partner/Of Counsel, Bronfin Heller, 1991-1996; Associate, Didriksen & Carbo, 1988-1991; Associate, Adams & Reese, 1986-1988; Judicial Law Clerk, United States District Court for Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Henry A. Mentz, Jr., 1984-1986.

Engaged in a commercial practice with a concentration in arbitration, litigation on the federal and state court levels, mediation and transactional work. Advises businesses and individuals concerning bankruptcies, contracts, construction, fidelity, surety and financial institution bonds, insurance, professional malpractice, real estate, and trust and estate matters. Works with business owners and entrepreneurs assisting them with every aspect of the business from inception through growth and development to, when necessary, dissolution. Consults with individuals on how to protect their personal assets through estate and trust vehicles.

Joined The Martin Mediation Group, Inc. in 1996 and mediated numerous disputes ranging from business disputes to personal injury. Served as a volunteer mediator for the First City Court for Orleans Parish and served on the Supreme Court’s Pilot Mediation Program for the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. For more than 18 years, served and continue to serve as a member of the panel of Arbitrators and Mediators for FINRA, formally known as National Association of Securities Dealers Regulation (NASD). Since 1992, mediated or arbitrated over 2500 contract, financial and securities matters. Disputes ranged from $1000 to $500,000. Mediate private business disputes in the areas of construction, financial and contracts. Disputes range from $50,000 to over $1 million dollars. From 2006-2007, served as a member of the Panel of Mediators for the Louisiana Department of Insurance Hurricane Mediation Program administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA), mediating over 350 hurricane and wind damage disputes between homeowners and insurance companies. Disputes ranged from $5,000 to $250,000.

Mediated disputes regarding failure to pay loans; contract provisions, claims against brokerage houses regarding trading of securities; succession and estate inheritance claims between family members; business owners over buy-outs; insurance issues; and construction projects. From 2006-2007, served as a member of the Panel of Mediators for the Louisiana Department of Insurance Hurricane Mediation Program administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA), mediating over 350 hurricane and wind damage disputes between homeowners and insurance companies regarding coverage for wind and flood damage.

The only purpose of mediation is to assist the parties to settle the case on a basis everyone can accept. As a mediator, I help facilitate communication between the parties so they can achieve a lasting acceptable agreement for all. I have no authority to dictate the terms of the settlement or to impose a decision or to send anyone to jail or impose a fine. I cannot give legal advice. The process is private and confidential, unlike the courthouse. The rules of evidence do not apply. The mediation procedure is informal. However, I expect the parties to act professionally towards each other and make a good faith commitment to try to reach a settlement that everyone can accept. My mediator style is a combination of evaluative & facilitative mediation. I use both approaches, but my style is primarily facilitative. However, in certain situations I facilitate possible resolutions through inquiry, i.e. “Have you ever thought of this?”

Tulane University School of Law (JD-1984); Newcomb College (BA, cum laude-1980).

Admitted to the Bar: Louisiana (1980); all Louisiana State Courts; all Texas State Courts (active); all Wisconsin State Courts (inactive); U.S. District Court: Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court.

American Counsel Association (Past President); Federal Bar Association (Past National President; Past FBA delegate to ABA House of Delegates); Louisiana State Bar Association (House of Delegates; ADR Section; Bankruptcy Law Section, former Vice-Chair); American Bar Association (Fellow; Vice-Chair, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Fidelity and Surety Law General Committee; YLD Securities Law Committee, Past Chair; Dispute Resolution Section; Business Law Section); Louisiana Bar Foundation (Fellow; IOLTA Banking Committee, Past Chair); Foundation of the Federal Bar Association (President of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association; Life Fellow); American Bar Foundation (Fellow); American Inns of Court - Tulane Chapter (Barrister).

* “Who Bears the Loss — Which Parties Should Be Held Responsible for Losses Ensuing from Emerging Cyber Threats?” – Fidelity Law Journal, October 2023, Boston * “Aggressive Advocacy or Unethical Bullying – Where Is the Dividing Line and What Can Neutrals, Advocates and Clients Do When It Is Crossed?” – ABA TIPS Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Mid-Winter Program, August 2022, Nashville * Securities Claims: Coverage under Insuring Agreement E” – ABA TIPS Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Fall Conference, November 2021, New York * Co-Editor, Arbitration and the Surety; American Bar Association, May 2020 * Louisiana Chapter, Editor, Business Torts: A Fifty State Guide, Wolters Kluwer Publishers, (annual) * Louisiana Chapter, Co-Author, State-by-State Guide to Architect, Engineer, and Contractor Licensing; Second Edition, Aspen Publishers, (annual) * Louisiana Chapter, Co-Author, Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law, Third Edition; Wolters Kluwer, (annual) * “Use of Experts: Selection and Deployment of Experts” – ABA TIPS Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Mid-Winter Program, January 2019, San Diego * “Effective Use of Arbitration” – ABA TIPS Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Mid-Winter Program, January 2018, Washington, D.C. * “Pre-suit Mediation” – ABA TIPS Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Mid-Winter Program, January 2017, New Orleans * An Editor, Handbook on Louisiana Alternative Dispute Resolution Laws (Esquire Books, Inc., 2011).

New Orleans, Louisiana

Hourly Rate: $425.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $425.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment: Cancellation: $500.00 (unless can fill the time period)

English

United States of America

New Orleans, Louisiana