Mediator Resume

Texas litigation attorney, mediator, and arbitrator with a practice focused on construction & commercial litigation, consumer disputes, catastrophic injury and wrongful death, trucking and transportation, premises liability, insurance coverage, oil & gas disputes, and mass torts. Experience includes multi-party and layered coverage matters, expert-driven causation and damages, and lien/subrogation issues. Known for thorough preparation, candid risk evaluation, and efficient process management for in-person or remote proceedings.

Allred Law Firm dba ADR, Allred Dispute Resolution - Founding Partner

Attorney

Arbitrator & Mediator, Allred Law Firm dba ADR, Allred Dispute Resolution, 2024 - Present; Partner/Founder (Commercial Litigation Section), Watts Law Firm, 2005 - 2024; Senior Commercial & Litigation Counsel, Valero Energy Corporation, 2002 - 2005; Associate, Baker McKenzie, 2001 - 2002; Associate, Littler Mendelson, 1999 - 2001; Law Clerk & Associate, Groce Locke & Hebdon (now Jenkens & Gilchrist), 1995 - 1999; Briefing Clerk, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1995; Estimator & Project Engineer (MD Anderson Cancer Center Project, Houston Medical Center), JW Bateson (now Centex Construction), 1991 - 1994; Pilot, US Air Force Reserve, 1990 - 1998.

As an Advocate: over 30 years of experience across plaintiff, defense, and in-house roles primarily in insurance, employment, commercial, construction, and civil disputes. Additional experience in energy/oil & gas and transportation. Background includes service as corporate counsel negotiating EPC and commercial agreements, along with extensive litigation in both contingency-fee and large hourly-billing law firms. Federal judicial experience included legal research and drafting appellate decisions. Experience includes building and leading a commercial law and litigation department within a large litigation platform, managing high-volume dockets involving complex, multi-party disputes, and advising executives and boards on risk management and dispute resolution. Corporate counsel experience at a Fortune 25 energy company included negotiating EPC, procurement, licensing, and strategic alliance agreements, as well as responsibility for employment, construction, and commercial disputes. Litigation experience includes representation of clients ranging from individuals and small companies to Fortune 25 companies in complex commercial, construction, insurance, and employment matters, including EEOC and DOL class actions, MDLs, and mass torts. As a Neutral: Maintains a balanced and disciplined approach to case management, working with the parties to establish efficient procedures tailored to the needs of the case. Focused on careful evaluation of the evidentiary record and issuing clear, well-structured awards that fully and finally resolve the claims and counterclaims submitted.

99% success rate as a mediator, with only one case being tried to verdict after mediation and post-mediation follow-up efforts. Serves as mediator in civil and commercial disputes requiring credibility with both sides and disciplined risk evaluation. Mediation work is informed by over 30 years of litigation, corporate counsel, and executive legal leadership experience, including high-exposure matters where outcomes turn on careful assessment of liability, damages, defenses, and business or personal priorities. Experienced in mediating disputes involving mass torts (pharmaceutical, insurance, hurricane, and wildfire), contract and business disputes, construction-related claims, employment and workplace matters (including sensitive allegations), and complex, reputation-sensitive controversies. Brings practical familiarity with corporate decision-making, budgeting, and settlement authority dynamics from Fortune 25 in-house counsel work, negotiating contracts and insurance coverages, litigation, and large-scale litigation management. Process and approach: • Offers structured pre-mediation preparation (pre-session conference when helpful; targeted submissions focused on liability, damages/exposure, defenses, and key documents) • Uses clear issue-framing to identify the real decision points, the evidentiary gaps, and the risk drivers that move value • Facilitates negotiations with balanced reality-testing for both sides, including damages proof, causation disputes, coverage issues, and trial or hearing risk • Manages multi-party and complex settlement dynamics, including layered insurance, contribution/allocation issues, liens/subrogation considerations, confidentiality concerns, and non-monetary terms • Maintains steady control of pace and tone, including high-emotion or high-conflict matters, while keeping negotiations focused and productive • Supports clean closure through practical term-sheet drafting and issue-spotting (release language concepts, payment timing, confidentiality, non-disparagement, and enforcement mechanics, as appropriate) Logistics and technology: • Conducts mediations in-person or remotely, including secure caucuses, electronic document exchange, and real-time settlement drafting • Works efficiently with counsel, carriers, and decision-makers to confirm attendance, authority expectations, and required documentation in advance • Comfortable with same-day resolution efforts and structured follow-up plans when settlement is close but not complete Mediation experience is complemented by extensive negotiation and dispute-resolution responsibility across a very large litigation docket and corporate legal operations, providing perspective on both claimant and defense evaluation, settlement authority constraints, and the practical business reasons that drive resolution.

Commercial and contract disputes: • Breach of contract, termination and renewal disputes, interpretation and scope disagreements • Procurement, licensing, and strategic alliance disputes, including relationship-preservation dynamics and forward-looking deal terms • Business-to-business disputes involving performance standards, non-payment, change conditions, and allocation of responsibility Corporate, executive, and governance-sensitive disputes: • Reputation-sensitive disputes requiring discreet process management, careful messaging, and practical settlement structures • Conflicts driven by business continuity concerns, budget constraints, and operational disruption risk • Disputes where decision-makers require clear risk framing, cost-of-defense analysis, and outcome-range evaluation Construction-related disputes: • Contract and scope disputes; project delay and disruption issues; change orders; payment applications and retainage • Allocation disputes involving multiple parties, indemnity, and additional insured/risk transfer concepts (as applicable) • Construction-related defect or workmanship issues where technical evidence drives exposure and settlement value Employment and workplace disputes: • Employment claims and workplace disputes, including sensitive allegations and internal-policy considerations • Claims involving agency decision-making, documentation disputes, and credibility assessments • Matters where non-monetary terms are central (references, confidentiality, neutral communications, reinstatement or separation terms, as appropriate) Litigation process and resolution barriers: • Settlement authority and budget limitations; multi-layer decision-making; competing stakeholder objectives • Valuation disputes driven by experts, contested damages models, or uncertain causation • Discovery disputes, privilege and confidentiality concerns, and protective-order negotiation • Mediation of disputes late in litigation with entrenched positions, requiring disciplined reality-testing and incremental movement Case-resolution structures and settlement mechanics: • Structured settlements and staged payments when appropriate to risk tolerance and cash-flow constraints • Confidentiality, non-disparagement, and reputational protection terms • Release scope and carve-outs; enforcement mechanisms; dispute-resolution provisions for future disagreements • Term-sheet drafting and issue spotting to reduce post-settlement friction and increase closure rates

Mediator style is balanced, structured, and pragmatic, with an emphasis on credibility with both sides and steady momentum toward resolution. Preparation and process are designed to give each party a fair opportunity to be heard, identify the real decision points, and reduce risk through clear settlement options. Experience in executive legal leadership and corporate counsel roles supports a practical understanding of authority dynamics, budget constraints, and business drivers that often control outcomes. Pre-mediation preparation: • Pre-mediation conference offered when helpful to confirm participants, authority expectations, and the issues most likely to drive value • Targeted pre-mediation submissions preferred over long briefs: key facts, liability/defense themes, damages or exposure model, and the most important documents • Early identification of settlement barriers (coverage positions, confidentiality concerns, non-monetary terms, timing, lien/subrogation issues, or approval requirements) • Exchange of essential information encouraged where it materially improves evaluation and reduces “surprise” dynamics Session design: • Joint session used selectively when it will help with momentum, clarification of facts, or decision-maker engagement; otherwise caucus-forward approach • Structured agenda to identify: (1) liability and defenses, (2) damages/exposure, (3) proof problems, (4) trial/hearing risk, and (5) settlement architecture • Reality-testing used even-handedly with both sides, including discussion of best/worst/most likely outcomes, costs of delay, and non-financial risk Negotiation approach: • Candid but respectful communication; firm control of tone and pace without theatrics • Bracket and midpoint strategies are used when appropriate, with a clear explanation of signaling to reduce misinterpretation • Encourages movement tied to decision points: evidence that will matter, experts that will move value, dispositive risks, and probable jury or arbitrator reactions • Willing to use the mediator’s proposal when requested or when negotiations are close but stalled Closure and follow-through: • Term-sheet focuses on reducing post-mediation friction; prompt identification of release and enforcement issues that commonly derail closing • Clear next-step plan when settlement is close: follow-up calls, limited information exchanges, and defined decision timelines • Comfortable handling in-person or remote mediations, including secure caucuses and electronic document exchange Administrative and logistics preferences: • Reliable scheduling and prompt communication with counsel and parties • Efficient use of time, including half-day and full-day formats when appropriate • Supports early resolution efforts and late-stage mediations, including cases set for hearing or trial within short timeframes

Comfortable conducting mediations and arbitrations in-person or remotely, including full-day or multi-session proceedings. Fully proficient with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Webex for secure caucuses, screen-sharing, breakout rooms, and remote participant management. Experienced with electronic document handling and workflows used in ADR: • Secure exchange of pre-session submissions, exhibits, and demonstratives (PDF and common office formats) • Real-time review of key documents during sessions, including annotation, bookmarking, and page/line referencing • Electronic exhibit organization and hearing-day presentation support, including exhibit lists, witness outlines, and shared exhibit protocols • Practical protocols for confidentiality, access control, and record management in remote proceedings Office and case-management tools: • Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive) • Reliable scheduling coordination and deadline tracking for pre-session orders, submissions, and follow-up items • Comfortable working with e-signature and electronic settlement documentation workflows (as applicable to the matter and party preferences) The technology approach emphasizes simplicity, security, and preparedness, so the session focuses on decision-making rather than troubleshooting.

Texas A&M University (B.S., Construction Science - 1990); St. Mary's University School of Law (J.D. - 1997).

Admitted to the Bar: Texas; all Texas state and federal courts; U.S. Supreme Court.

Past and present associations include: • Association of General Contractors, Member • Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Member • Houston Bar Association, Editorial Board Member, The Houston Lawyer • San Antonio Bar Association, Member • San Antonio Trail Lawyers Association, Director • Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Member • BASIS Charter Schools, Statewide School Board Member & Secretary • YMCA Youth in Government Program, Statewide Board Member • Texas A&M Former Yell Leader Association, Founding Board Member • Texas A&M 12th Man Foundation, Champions Council/NIL Donor - Women’s Soccer • Texas A&M Association of Former Students, Diamond Century Club Member

Speaking topics commonly addressed (CLE, bar, and professional audiences): • Mediation advocacy and negotiation strategy in high-stakes disputes, including the Texas Association of Defense Counsel • Arbitration fundamentals and practical case management (scheduling orders, discovery proportionality, hearing organization) • Commercial litigation risk assessment: early case evaluation, exposure modeling, and settlement decision points • Corporate dispute prevention through contracting (procurement, licensing, alliance agreements) and operational risk controls • Employment and workplace dispute trends, compliance considerations, and litigation readiness (including agency and class-action exposure) • Succession and continuity issues in legal operations and client-service systems Publications: • Articles and written materials on dispute resolution, litigation strategy, and risk management: available upon request.

Bexar County, Texas

Hourly Rate: Not provided Daily Rate: $4,000.00 Study Rate: $550.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment: Compensation rates, established by the AAA, are set forth in the applicable Consumer Mediation Procedures.

English

United States of America

San Antonio, Texas