Bellville Arbitration & Mediation Lawyers

I am a highly trained, experienced, full-time mediator focusing on complex commercial disputes.

For over 22 years, I have primarily represented businesses when they are involved in lawsuits, both as a plaintiff and defendant. This background gives me insight into how people make decisions.

I arrive at each mediation prepared to facilitate settlement, and I pay careful attention to the people, their interests, and emotions while discussing the facts and legal arguments.

Sam Edwards is a partner at SSEK and has developed a wide-ranging practice representing individuals and institutions from the United States and almost every continent in the world in investment and financial disputes. Over the last decade, that representation has included hundreds of clients who range from retirees that have lost their life savings, to community banks and credit unions who have been defrauded by Wall Street in investment schemes or bad products, to states and municipalities defrauded by investment banks. The cases Mr. Edwards has worked on include claims for unsuitable investment recommendations, churning, misrepresentations and outright fraud. The investments...

• Very experienced litigator (over 100 jury trials) who teaches trial skills to lawyers and law students o Representation in False Claims Act cases; Business and Commercial Litigation cases; Health Care Fraud cases; Environmental cases; Securities law cases; Tax cases; Trade Fraud cases; and other complex litigation matters o Representation in Internal Investigations o Representation in Corporate Governance matters • Part-time academic and widely published • Editor-in-chief of two legal treatises: one about pharmaceutical and medical device law; the other about corporate criminal liability • Past Chair of the ABA Health Law Section • Past Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas • Past Section Chief of the Financial Crimes...

Kelly Ausley- Flores focuses on complex family law cases involving complicated property divisions, family businesses, spousal maintenance above guideline child support, customized possession schedules when parents work irregular hours, and child issues without marriage. She recognizes that every family situation is unique and approaches each situation as an opportunity for creative problem-solving. Kelly is committed to helping individuals regain their voice and confidence so they can successfully move forward with their lives after divorce. She is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White,...

Bryan T. Forman is a licensed Texas attorney with offices in Austin, Texas and Tyler, Texas. He has been engaged in the private practice of law since 1987, and has spent the majority of his career in the brokerage industry, serving as Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel for brokerage firms which he founded. Concurrently, he gained experience in the private equity field, founding a private equity hedge fund whose strategy was private equity investments into public companies. His legal practice is focused on representing public investors and market participants in the securities industry. Mr. Forman received his Juris Doctor...

I am a board certified family law attorney practicing in Austin, Texas. I have been licensed and practicing in Austin since 1994 and I have been board certified in family law since 2000. My firm has 3 associate attorneys, all working toward board certification, but also practicing exclusively family law, and I have 3 paralegals, all board certified in family law, with an average career of over 25 years. We pride ourselves in helping our clients navigate this difficult time in their lives and to work toward unique solutions for their unique families. We have all...

Spolin Law P.C.’s founder, Aaron Spolin, is a former prosecutor and award-winning criminal appeals attorney. He has achieved successful outcomes on hundreds of criminal cases, including numerous dismissals of major felony cases; non-criminal resolutions to complex fraud and insurance fraud defense cases; successful appellate outcomes from various appellate courts; and multiple not-guilty jury verdicts at trial. Innocent Spolin Law clients wrongfully accused of murder and other serious crimes are now free because of his work. Aaron is the recipient of various awards for his advocacy, including the American College of Trial Lawyer’s Medal for Excellence in Oral Advocacy as well as...

As a partner at Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LLP (SSEK Law Firm), Kirk G. Smith focuses his practice on securities law. Representing individual and institutional investors against banks, brokerage firms and trust companies, Mr. Smith generally handles cases involving issues such as retirement losses, broker and brokerage firm misconduct, investment derivatives, fraud and financial product failures. He serves clients throughout the U.S.

Before earning a Juris Doctor from the South Texas College of Law Houston, Mr. Smith attended Loyola University New Orleans. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.

Previously working as an investment advisor for a large brokerage firm and...

I represent clients across all facets of family law. My practice encompasses a broad range of experience in both negotiating and litigating matters such as divorce, contested child custody, division of high net worth assets, visitation rights, geographical restrictions, as well as spousal and child support. I also manage prenuptial agreements, along with modification and enforcement actions. Additionally, I handle issues related to paternity, support, and custody of non-marital children. I am a detail-oriented negotiator who firmly believes that most family matters should be resolved swiftly and outside of court. However, I recognize that certain situations and complexities necessitate decisive action...

My law practice is devoted to Family Law, Collaborative Law, and Mediation. We offer highly personalized, discreet service and strive for creative solutions to each client's needs. I have been working on family law cases for 34+ years and have been Board certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1992. Amicable resolution of cases through mediation or the collaborative process is our goal in family law cases.

• Dallas Office Chair. Professional liability litigation group, including the defense of architects, engineers, design professionals, lawyers, insurance brokers/agents, medical, and other miscellaneous professionals. • Counsel and represent attorneys on ethics and grievance ir. matters. • Represent defendants and corporate plaintiffs in complex construction and business litigation. • Defend product liability, premises liability, trucking, and auto insurance defense claims. • Outside legal consultant for OmniSure Consulting Group, LLP, a national risk management and loss control consulting group assisting national insurance carriers in the A&E and allied health professionals space. • Represent and consult with college-level coaches in contract negotiation, hiring & firing matters, internal compliance, corporate...

Ky Jurgensen is an experienced business and probate litigation attorney with an additional focus on estate administration. "I was attracted to probate work because, for many clients, it’s the first time they’ve worked with an attorney. They are going through a difficult personal loss and, in the midst of that, they must also complete a reckoning of their loved one’s estate. It is a complicated process. As an attorney, I can help people through that process and make it more manageable. Personally, that is very rewarding." Ky has advised and assisted numerous estate executors and beneficiaries through probate disputes, from contested wills...

Experienced and recognized Austin attorney James (“Jimmy”) Evans has practiced law since 1995, and since 2010 has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. At his law firm, Evans Family Law Group, Jimmy handles a full range of family law cases, including divorce, agreed and uncontested divorce, divorce and custody litigation, child custody, child support, adoption, mediation and collaborative law, and grandparents’ rights (to name a few). For Jimmy, the preparation, pains, and persistence that each case demands of him is small when compared to the reward: a legal outcome that, with a minimum...

I was born and raised in Northeast Texas and after graduating from East Texas State University in 1996, I worked as a paralegal for Foley & Coley until December of 2000 when I relocated to Houston to attend South Texas College of Law. While in law school, I worked full time for Crain, Caton & James, a large law firm in downtown Houston. In December of 2005, I graduated from South Texas College of Law and passed the Texas Bar in February 2006. I was licensed to practice law by May of 2006. I had a successfully practice in...

Kris Algert is one of the most experienced Collaborative Family Lawyers in Austin and has been named Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for Collaborative Law in the Austin area in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020. She is a Master Credentialed Collaborative Professional by Collaborative Divorce Texas, is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and is known for her constructive and respectful problem-solving approach to helping clients move forward with confidence after divorce.

The Law Office of Shelly A. Merchant represents individuals in Deer Park, Pasadena, La Porte, Houston, and surrounding areas in a wide range of general practice matters including family law, bankruptcy, probate and much more. We are a small firm in a small-town suburb of Houston providing clients with a friendly atmosphere and personalized service in addressing their legal concerns. We listen to your needs and work to understand your individual legal situation to help you through a difficult situation. Our attorneys are more than willing to tackle the unique challenges your case presents and to determine and execute the...

Scott Herlihy is a proven and skilled family law attorney who has practiced in Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties for over 25 years. He licensed in all Texas state and federal courts and was selected as a “Rising Star” by Texas Monthly Magazine in 2005 and 2006, an honor bestowed upon less than 2.5% of attorneys under 40. Scott is a member of the State Bar Family Law and Litigation Sections, the Travis County, Williamson County, and Hays County Bar Associations, the Austin Bar Association Family Law and Litigation Sections, and is an Austin Bar Foundation Fellow. Scott handles a wide...

Judith Meyer is a partner in the Houston office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2017 and focuses her practice on securities litigation, broker litigation, breach of contract matters, business disputes, mediation and arbitration, construction defect litigation, premises liability and toxic tort defense, employment torts, and commercial real estate matters.

Judith is a qualified mediator for general civil disputes under the Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Act and has served as a volunteer mediator for the Harris County Dispute Resolution Center.

Judith earned her B.S., magna cum laude, from Louisiana State University in 1979. She earned her J.D. in 1985 from...

David Hodges, founding partner at Hodges & Foty, LLP, was born in McAllen, Texas, and moved to Cypress when he was seven. He attended Cy-Fair Senior High School, and discovered he wanted to go to law school after participating in a mock trial in his senior government class.

After graduation, he joined the Corps of Cadets and attended Texas A&M University where he earned his B.S. degree in 1989. After graduating from Texas A&M University, he was immediately commissioned in the Navy and deployed to the Persian Gulf. When he transferred from active duty to the Navy Reserves, he...

In an award-winning legal general-practice, Mr. Howard Glass, Esq. and his legal Team of Professionals provide and assist clients with a "vast & various range of legal topics, matters, & cases." Skilled & experienced, Mr. Glass was again recognized several times during this year, including his induction into the College of the State Bar of Texas & the Texas Bar's Pro Bono College & "Client Satisfaction" awards by both the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys & the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys. Mr. Glass' downtown Houston-based firm not only practices virtually "every 'traditional' area of Texas State...

The mission of Hiller Law is to deliver expert divorce and family law counsel in a tough, smart, and professional manner. Michael Hiller is known as a fierce courtroom lawyer, and his team provides each client with aggressive and innovative approaches to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Michael Hiller is a Texas Board Certified family lawyer who has extensive legal experience in handling all kinds of family law cases and is specifically trained to handle high conflict divorce cases for high net worth individuals. The Hiller Law Team takes pride in working diligently to present truthful and honest evidence in court...

It’s no secret that litigation can be stressful, complicated and expensive. That’s why business owners appreciate Amanda’s candid, no nonsense approach to litigation. Always mindful of the big picture, Amanda tailors strategies specific to her client’s goals, and confidently navigates cases as efficiently as possible so her clients can get back to what is most important to them – running their business. Amanda represents companies of all shapes and sizes in litigation involving contract claims, business torts, real estate disputes, residential and commercial defects, mechanic’s and materialman’s liens and bond claims, commercial and consumer collection, and foreclosures. Amanda is also a...

Louis Leichter practices administrative, health, and criminal law, focusing on the area of licensure and license defense. Mr. Leichter advises clients on disciplinary actions and misconduct allegations that may affect their professional licenses. Mr. Leichter also represents clients on related issues that are divergent from the receipt of a disciplinary order within a healthcare practice. Peer review and medical staff privileges, practitioner data bank disputes, network agreements, contract negotiations, and license renewal questionnaires are important to medical and other health care professionals who are involved in disciplinary action. Prior to starting a private practice, Mr. Leichter prosecuted criminal cases as an...

Jim Hall is a partner in the Houston office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2017 and focuses his practice on commercial, products, and premises liability litigation. An accomplished trial lawyer, he has handled numerous matters before state and federal appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court.

Jim is a certified mediator and was primary counsel in a nationwide “early look program” designed to resolve claims before suit was filed. He earned recognition from Thomson Reuters among the Texas Super Lawyers in civil litigation defense in 2006-2007. Jim is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubble.

Jeff Joyce protects the critical business interests of his clients with over 30 years of experience in commercial litigation and the essential ingredients of sound judgment and a tenacious mindset. His representation of loan servicers, loan originators, financial institutions, real estate-based entities, insurance companies, manufacturing and distribution companies, and technology-based enterprises has earned him a strong reputation as a business lawyer. Recognized as a leader in the legal community, Jeff matches his experience and background with the entrepreneurial practice of law and the flexibility that affords his clients the opportunity to reach a reasonable business solution for their legal problems. Jeff...

Our practice is 100% devoted to family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, grandparent rights, marital agreements, collaborative law, family law mediation, transgender issues, same sex marriages, and domestic partnerships. Because we limit our practice to family law, you can be assured that your case will get the attention and care you deserve. We can also offer you a better way to divorce using Collaborative Law, settling your case without utilizing the court system, or a relatively new program for high conflict cases called 'New Ways for Families.' Call us to request a free consultation...

Evan S. Harlow grew up in the Austin area and graduated from Pflugerville High School. He kept his Texas roots as he studied higher learning. He earned his Bachelor of Public Administration at Texas State University-San Marcos, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He obtained his Master of Public Service and Administration at Texas A&M University, also graduating Magna Cum Laude. Finally, he received his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. Mr. Harlow's work in the law started prior to attending law school. He served for six and a half years as a paralegal in the United States Army. The...

We are top notch law firm with decades of experience and with a focus on small business and individuals. Your attorney will be your advocate and your counselor in your legal matters at Sander Law Offices. Our broad base of general, civil legal experience will help you determine what is the best, most cost effective, and expedient path to the results you desire. We know that taking legal action can sometimes be overwhelming. We are dedicated to providing you help in language that you can understand and we will work to find a tailored and targeted approach that suits...

I specialize in all types of Family Law cases. A substantial amount of is in traditional, litigated divorces. I prefer the former because it is (in my opinion) a less expensive and more efficient process which gives the divorcing couple the opportunity to improve their communications, settle their disputes with dignity and preserve valuable family relationships. Even in emotional circumstances, I help resolve your divorce through mediation, allowing you a strong voice in the outcome. But we are also prepared to take your case to court if that will provide the best resolution. I handle divorce cases involving a...

Ms. Crawford represents clients in a variety of commercial and business related matters and litigation. Her primary focus is on first party insurance litigation.

Prior to joining Doyen Sebesta & Poelma, LLLP, Ms. Crawford practiced in the Houston area and gained valuable experience by conducting depositions, successfully resolving cases through mediations, and arguing at the district and county level in contested hearings involving commercial litigation matters. Ms. Crawford successfully first chaired her first trial in the Harris County Civil District Court, gaining a favorable judgment after two days of trial.

Ms. Crawford earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from The...

I have a wide and varied practice in the commercial litigation, entertainment and technology fields. In the area of commercial litigation, I have broad experience involving creditor's rights, real estate litigation, commodities fraud cases, insurance coverage disputes (on behalf of policy holders), employment litigation (particularly with noncompete and non-solicitation agreements), and a host of other business torts and contractual disputes. I also maintain a nationwide intellectual property and entertainment litigation practice, having handled cases in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Nashville, in addition to those in cities throughout Texas. I have extensive experience prosecuting and defending copyright and trademark infringement...

- Mediator since 1993 - Mediated over 1,300 disputes (family, personal injury, employment & others) - Mediated & taught negotiation for U.S. Air Force, Army, & Navy. - Published author of over 100 articles and book reviews - Frequent speaker (local & int’l) on dispute resolution, negotiation, diversity & law. - Former editor of The Texas Mediator - Former Editorial board member of the Texas Bar Journal ...

Scott D. Smith is a seasoned trial lawyer who has obtained favorable verdicts for clients on both sides of the docket. Mr. Smith has experience in all phases of litigation in both state and federal courts throughout the United States, including resolving a broad array of business and commercial disputes, as well as having extensive experience representing financial advisers and financial institutions in financial services litigation in FINRA and AAA arbitration proceedings. He frequently represents financial advisers and financial institutions in employment disputes, securities enforcement actions, as well as regulatory and compliance matters, and assists his clients...

Esteban Leccese is an experienced attorney admitted in civil-law and common-law jurisdictions, specialized in handling complex international litigation and arbitration, including commercial and investment claims under the rules of major international arbitration institutions such as the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and ad hoc arbitrations under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules.

Esteban’s relevant matters include high-profile cases involving a broad range of industries, such as the energy, oil and gas, mining, airlines, construction and infrastructure under different applicable laws. He also advises clients on strategic...

My practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and arbitration. I represent clients in high-stakes, high-dollar disputes involving breach of contract, employment law, restrictive covenants, trade secrets, insurance coverage, securities disputes, class actions, and whistleblower claims. I have represented both plaintiffs and defendants before state and federal courts, and in domestic and international arbitration proceedings.

DiafiLaw is a full service family law office owned and operated by attorney Sarah Diafi. Sarah has committed nearly three decades of her career to the practice of family law in Austin. Sarah Diafi is a fully licensed attorney in the State of Texas, and has practiced law in Texas since 1989. Sarah has lived in Austin since 1976. Sarah graduated from the University of Texas in 1985 with a bachelor of arts in English Literature. She then attended St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, receiving her law degree in 1988. She lives in Austin with...

I am a native Houstonian and have been a part of the Humble / Atascocita community for 30 years. Practicing Family Law can be rewarding and also very difficult. Lives that have been together day to day, separating or moving on can present great challenges. Not just financially, but also emotionally, and if there are children involved it can take great patience and understanding to help families navigate this difficult process. I have years of experience working with my clients to produce the best outcome possible for their families. I am familiar with the Harris County courts, and the judges...