Mediator Resume

Dual-Discipline Expertise: Arbitrator, Mediator, and Insurance Umpire combining 40+ years of technical construction mastery with 30+ years as a dedicated neutral. Tech-Forward Practice: TechCred Certified, merging "boots-on-the-ground" construction forensics with digital fluency to resolve complex, high-stakes disputes for the AAA and state insurance rosters. Strategic Resolution: Driven by executive project leadership and a data-driven approach to multi-party stalemates. Available for domestic arbitration nationwide from a Houston, Texas base, focused on sophisticated, efficient, tech-forward resolution of complex commercial and residential construction conflicts.

Linda Bramlett Stewart | Stewart ADR, A Division of Norfolk Building, Ltd. - Arbitrator, Mediator & Insurance Umpire

Mediator, Arbitrator, Umpire

Principal Neutral, Stewart ADR, 2023 - Present; Director of Sales & Strategic Planning, Thorntree, LP, 2019 - 2023; President/Partner, Builder's Choice, Inc., 2015 - 2019; Co-Founder & Managing Director/Administration, HHN Homes, LP, 1999 - 2014; President & Chief Executive Officer, Norfolk Building Ltd., 1979 - Present.

• 40+ years of expertise as a construction professional and forensic expert specializing in residential, commercial, and institutional construction. Extensive background in adjudicating high-stakes disputes, including multi-party municipal school projects and university athletic facility renovations. Skilled at navigating stalemates between diverse stakeholders—architects, city officials, and general contractors—by applying forensic logic to resolve issues of construction quality, contractual performance, and complex scheduling. • Executive Leadership as Partner and President for a major national building materials distributor. Directed the sales, warehousing, and complex logistics for high-volume product lines, including windows, doors, cabinetry, and countertops. Managed the global procurement of natural stone, tile, and porcelain, providing deep institutional knowledge of material cost volatility, international supply chain disruptions, and procurement-related contractual disputes.

• Supply Chain & Procurement Integrity: Resolved complex disputes involving national-scale building material distribution, focusing on material lead times, pricing escalations, and the impact of procurement delays on cabinetry, windows, and doors. • Forensic Valuation & Insurance Appraisals: Served as an Umpire in high-stakes property insurance disputes, auditing Xactimate outputs to resolve stalemates regarding scope of work, unit pricing, and documentation sufficiency. • Performance & Contractual Compliance: Adjudicated "monies owed" and "change order" disputes by analyzing project documentation for authenticity and adherence to quality of construction standards. • Operational Logistics & Scheduling: Managed conflicts involving high-volume trade coordination and continuous build cycles, specifically addressing critical path delays and resource allocation. • Evidence & Documentation Auditing: Evaluated the integrity of digital records and project logs in claims involving alleged fraud, deceptive trade practices (DTPA), and missing evidentiary support. • Boundary & Property Rights: Facilitated the resolution of property line disputes and land-use disagreements through the analysis of technical surveys and site documentation. • Consumer Finance & Debt Defense: Mediates high-volume credit and debt collections disputes involving specialized consumer defense, corporate banking risk, and bankruptcy implications. Evaluates complex evidentiary challenges under Texas Rule of Evidence 902(10), analyzes compounding interest structures, and audits trial records for appellate waiver issues.

• Approach: Pragmatic and party-driven with a focus on risk assessment. Facilitates a neutral environment where parties maintain ownership of the outcome, supported by 42 years of industry insight to identify creative, "out-of-the-box" solutions. • Methodology: Operates at the intersection of traditional industry standards and digital diplomacy. Utilizes Tech-Fluency to navigate modern business disputes, including those involving Smart Contracts, e-commerce logistics, and AI-driven management. • Problem-Solving: Focused on "Technical Translation," bridging gaps between technical experts and legal counsel by leveraging industry data and governing contracts as the primary source of truth.

• TechCred Certified (ABA/NYLS): Mastery of digital fluency standards required to navigate AI-generated evidence, cybersecurity protocols, and modern tribunal demands. • Forensic Software (Xactimate): Advanced forensic application of Xactimate to adjudicate complex insurance claim disputes for AAA, TDI, and TWIA appointments. Performs deep-dive audits of itemized cost data, localized unit pricing, and macro-driven logic to resolve valuation stalemates. • ClearBrief AI: Trained in AI-powered document analysis to verify factual citations, generate hyperlinked timelines from voluminous records, and ensure the evidentiary integrity of Umpire Awards. • Visual Communication: Proficient in Canva for the creation of clear, visual mediation aids to simplify complex technical data for diverse stakeholders.

University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas (B.S., Summa Cum Laude). ABA / New York Law School, TechCred Program Inaugural Class (Advanced certification in digital fluency, focusing on AI-generated evidence and digital dispute resolution - 2025).

Registered Interior Designer | Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) Licensed Real Estate Agent | Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)

• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) | Member • Texas Association of Builders (TAB) | Member • Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) | Member • Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Appraisal Umpire Roster | Approved Neutral for property insurance disputes • Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) Qualified Umpire | Appointed to resolve coastal and windstorm claim disputes • Association for Conflict Resolution, Greater New York (ACR-GNY) | Member; Participant, 25th Annual Conference: Ex/change (June 2026) • Houston Bar Association (HBA) | Active Participant, Construction Law Section; regular attendee of technical luncheons and industry networking

• AAA Mock Arbitration & Mediation Panelist: Served as a Guest Neutral for American Arbitration Association (AAA) simulated proceedings, focusing on dispute resolution best practices and evidentiary management. • AIA Professional Development Series Speaker: Presented to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) on topics including construction standards, professional liability, and architectural ethics. • HBA Neutral Training Contributor: Provided practitioner insights into complex mediation and arbitration strategies for Houston Bar Association (HBA) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) sections

Complimentary travel within a 90-mile radius of Houston. Venues exceeding 90 miles are billed for mileage at the current IRS rate.

Hourly Rate: Not provided Daily Rate: $3,200.00 Study Rate: $450.00/hr Cancellation: $3,200.00/Day Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment: Hearing Rate: Is split equally between the parties. Travel Rate Note: Travel time and mileage are completely waived for all venues within a 90-mile radius of the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. For long-distance travel exceeding 90 miles, the $150.00/hour travel rate applies portal-to-portal (capped at a maximum of 4 hours per round trip for intra-state flights), plus reimbursement for actual out-of-pocket expenses (IRS mileage rate or airfare/lodging).

English

United States of America

Houston, Texas