Mediator Resume

Luecretia Dillard, Attorney at Law

Attorney

Luecretia Dillard, Attorney at Law, 2015; Assistant General Counsel, Litigation & Human Resources, Marathon Oil Company, 2011 – 2015; Partner, Dillard McElvaney & Kovach L.L.P., 1993 – 2011; Attorney, Private Practice, 1992 – 1993; Attorney, Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., 1985 – 1991; Attorney, Kirklin Boudreaux & Joseph, 1984 – 1985; Secretary, P.G. Bell Co., 1978 – 1979; Material Control Manager, The Rector Seal Corp., 1974 – 1977.

Assistant General Counsel - Litigation for large, international oil and gas exploration company; Represented company in complex commercial and personal injury litigation; Over 30 years’ experience as lead counsel in many trials and appeals in state and federal courts on wide variety of commercial, employment and personal injury cases. Extensive experience with energy industry, including administrative law and supervision of health, environmental, safety & security law group. Over 30 years’ litigation experience in labor and employment law including Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, National Labor Relations Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Employment Retirement Income Security Act, Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, state law tort claims and worker's compensation retaliation claims. Represented both employees and employers. Chair of City of Houston Civil Service Commission; Independent Hearing Officer for Texas Education Agency; former Hearing Officer for Houston ISD.

In addition to AAA cases, has been appointed in 135 court-ordered mediations involving almost every type of issue that can be litigated in both state and federal courts. Has extensive experience in virtually every aspect of employment and labor law and has helped parties resolve difficult cases through mediation, including ERISA matters. Other cases have involved commercial matters, such as breach of contract between businesses, and personal injury claims for damages, ranging from small amounts to many millions of dollars. Many of the cases mediated have involved education law, including cases concerning persons with disabilities. Has also mediated a small number of family law matters and construction cases.

Employment cases have included: Title VII, sexual harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Equal Pay Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, retaliation, Fair Labor Standards Act, veterans rights, and whistleblower activities. Commercial cases have included: breach of contract, notice, tortious interference with contract, and defamation. Personal injury cases have included: motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, and damages.

I believe that mediation is a process that belongs to the parties. The mediator serves as a guide through their dispute. Sometimes the path is straightforward, everyone knows exactly what needs to happen, and the cards are just put on the table. Frequently, though, the path may resemble a maze or a dark forest, and the mediator functions on more than one level, depending on the needs of those particular parties, and their particular disputes, because the surface dispute that brought them through the door is not what has really caused the breach of trust between the people. It is those people that need to find the solution to the dispute, and it is the mediator's job to help them find the way. I have great respect for the process and the parties, and tend to be very flexible. If the parties request that I give them an evaluation of their case, and I believe I am in a position to do that fairly, I will do so. I believe that mediation provides a forum for people to creatively accomplish things that cannot be done in court, but I also recognize that the law must guide our reasonable expectations.

University of Houston (JD-1983); Houston Baptist University (BA-1981).

Admitted to the Bar: Texas (1984); U.S. District Court: Southern (1984) and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

Houston Bar Association; Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit.

"The FMLA Year Problem," "Medical Certification," and "Intermittent and Reduced Schedule Leave," in Advanced Topics in The Family and Medical Leave Act in Texas, July 2006; "Investigating and Responding to Harassment," and "Employee Privacy in the Workplace," in Common Misconceptions in Human Resources in Texas, January 2006; "Sex, Race and Other Harassment in the Workplace," in Fundamentals of Employment Law, June 2005; "Bringing Closure to the Mediated Wrongful Termination Claim," AAA Mediator Conference, 2000; "The Adversarial Process: Hurtful or Helpful?" 20th National Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Individuals with Disabilities, 1999; "Good Cause for Termination: Do you know it when you see it?" 2nd Annual School Law Symposium for Lawyers and Administrators, 1998; "Conducting Nonrenewals and Termination Hearings," The School Law Symposium for Lawyers and School Administrators," 1997; "Employment Discrimination and Insurance: What Do You Say When They Say, 'I'm Sorry But...,'" State Bar of Texas, 1994 Annual AIDS & the Law Institute.

Hourly Rate: $395.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $395.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: 7 Days Comment: Study time at $395/hr. Travel time may be charged at discretion of neutral. Parking expenses may be charged on local cases at discretion of neutral. Cancellation Fee: $3000 for mediations cancelled less than one week before mediation conference.

English

United States of America

Houston, Texas