Mediator Resume

A distinguished career spanning nearly three decades, dedicated to the complexities of employment law including Title VII, Section 1981, FMLA, FLSA ADA and ADA, serving clients across state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies. Expertise covers a broad spectrum of employment law issues, including Title VI and VII cases, wage and hour disputes under the FLSA, FMLA interference and retaliation, ADA failures to accommodate, and breach-of-contract matters in both employment and commercial settings. Background includes over a decade of experience in Fortune 100 human resources, where a deep understanding of corporate dynamics, compliance, and employee relations was honed.

Linda Bond Edwards Employment Solutions PLLC - Owner

Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator

Mediator & Arbitrator, Linda Bond Edwards Employment Solutions LLC, 2026 -present, Mediator & Arbitrator, ADR Partners LLC, 2025-2026; Of Counsel, Rumberger Kirk and Caldwell, 2023-2025; Partner, Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, 2006-2023; Partner, Allen Norton & Blue PA, 2003-2006; Attorney, William E. Powers PA, 1993-2003; Human Resources positions, GTE Corporation, 1979-1992.

Full-time mediator, arbitrator. 30 years of employment law litigation experience; mediated and arbitrated employment discrimination cases, including FMLA, Title VII, race discrimination, sex/gender discrimination, ADA, Florida Civil Rights Act cases. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective action, single plaintiff, misclassification, overtime, minimum wage cases. Is a full time neutral for disputes arising in the private or public sector. Has practiced employment law for the past 30 years and recently became a full time mediator and arbitrator. Has been a certified circuit and county mediator since 2002, a AAA arbitrator since 2006 and a Florida state qualified arbitrator since 2025.¶ Foreclosure and first party mediation experience, also personal injury, estates and trust and general civil. Pre-suit mediations Commercial: Cases in excess of $500,000 Breach of contract, breach of employment contract, breach of settlement agreements, franchise disputes, time share dispute, non-compete disputes, garden leave disputes and other contract disputes. Medical malpractice, nursing home litigation Fair Debt Collection Employment law: Race, Gender, National Origin, Color and Religious discrimination, pursuant to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Florida State law, FMLA, ADA, ADEA, NLRA EEOC and Florida Commission on Human Relations State and Federal court trial experience Represented employees/plaintiffs but mainly employers. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Collective Actions and Single Plaintiff Claims Wage and hour claims, overtime, minimum wage, misclassification cases, independent contractor misclassification Employment related intentional torts such as defamation, tortious interference with business relationships, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring and negligent retention. Industries: Hospitality Public safety Entertainment Retail Health Care Franchise Financial Services Represented private sector employers before the National Labor Relations Board during organizing attempts, election challenges, decertification proceedings, unfair labor practices. Chief negotiator in public and private collective bargaining. Adjunct Professor Florida State University College of Law Taught Employment Discrimination Fall 2024

Id a qualified mediator with 30 years of experience in employment law that allows assistance in resolving workplace disputes involving allegations of retaliation, discrimination, or contractual disagreements based on race, gender, age or disability. Has a strong background in Title VII and Section 1981 litigation in State and federal court. Has also litigated and mediated whistleblower claims and breach of employment contracts as well as non-compete and garden leave claims.

Personal injury between parent and day care center. Trust and estate. Private and Public entity employment discrimination, race, gender, retaliation. Foreclosure disputes. First party property disputes. Breach of employment contracts, garden leave disputes, non-compete disputes.

The mediator's role is to guide the parties to resolving their dispute. During the opening session, the mediator begins to instill the subliminal mind set of resolving the matter. To reach resolution, the mediator must remind parties of the positive and empowering aspects of mediation and their ability to direct the outcome of the dispute rather than leaving it up to someone else. To continue the process of focusing on resolution, the mediator must be a good listener and be able to discern each party's interest in order to help each party meet the other's needs. The mediator has to remain neutral and communicate in a firm yet non-threatening and authoritative manner.

Conducts virtual hearings and tris to minimize the use of paper exchanges of documents.

Florida State University (JD, moot court-1995); University of Tennessee Martin (BS, Business Administration-1979).

Admitted to the Bar, Florida (1995); Circuit Civil Mediation, Florida (2002); all federal courts in Florida and the Eleventh Circuit.

Executive Counsel Labor &Employment Law Section of the Florida Bar; Leon County Charter Review Committee, 2nd Judicial Circuit Professionalism Panel; 2nd Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (Past Chair); Tallahassee Women Lawyers ( President, Board Member; CLE and Breakfast for Books Chair); Big Bend Society of Human Resources (Human Resources Tallahassee Conference); Florida State University College of Law Alumni Association (President Board of Directors); National Bar Association (Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter); Tallahassee Barristers; Chair Florida Bar Standing Committee on Judicial Nominating Procedures, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Member Board of Directors: To the Village Square (facilitates and encourages civil discourse) and Institute for Non-Profit Innovation and Excellence, Women's Law Division National Bar Association. Florida International University Advisory Panel for Executive Women of Influence Certificate Program

Speaking Engagements: Emerald Coast SHRM 3-Hour Employment Law, May 2010; "Why You're Still Being Sued for Overtime," Bay County SHRM, April 2010; "Turning an HR Audit into an Investment," Big Bend SHRM, June 2010; Greater Pensacola SHRM Legal Conference, 2010; "Alternative Dispute Programs for Employment Disputes," Big Bend SHRM, 2009; "Employment Law Update," Paralegal Conference of Florida, May 2008; "Relearning the Employment Law Alphabet," Greater Pensacola Society for Human Resources, April 9, 2008; "Personal Liability in Employment Lawsuits," Big Bend Society for Human Resources, November 2007; "FMLA Update," Council on Education and Management, May 2007, Sexual Harassment Training 2018. Publications: Five Reasons Why Your Sexual Harassment Training Isn't Working, JD Supra, 2017; A Look Through the Looking Glass: The JNC and Judicial Nominating Process "Deconstructed," Florida Bar Journal, June 2018; Gender Dysphoria, the ADA and What it Means to Employers, JD Supra, August 2022; What is Work (Look at the Fair Labor Standards Act),Florida Manufactured Homes Association, October 2021; Human Resources: How Leaders Lead, the First or Next Chapter, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBVF), April 2022; HR Tallahassee Pay Equity, FLSA and Dealing with the DOL, May 2022; Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship Communicating in Your Organization, June 2022; Employment Law Hot Topics Florida Clerks of Court and Comptrollers, November 2022; Ethics Training for Florida Clerks of Court and Comptrollers, February 2023.

Willing to travel throughout Florida, Atlanta, North and South Georgia, North and South Alabama, Nationally and Internationally; No travel charges for locations within 100 miles of Tallahassee, Florida.

Hourly Rate: $650.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $650.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment: $1300 minimum. Cancellation Policy: 48 hour cancellation notice; 4 hour charge if cancelled in less than 48 hours; travel costs $100 per hour; billed for actual costs for copying, faxes, telephone calls, hotel rooms, and mileage if necessary. Will travel throughout Florida, North Georgia, South Georgia, North and South Alabama, Nationally and Internationally.

English

United States of America

Tallahassee, Florida