Utopia Arbitration & Mediation Lawyers

Education St. Mary’s School of Law, San Antonio, Texas, J.D. – 2012 Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, B.A. – 2007 Awards/Recognitions 2021 Top Family Lawyer- Scene In S.A. Magazine 2021 Best Female Lawyer- Scene In SA Magazine 2020 San Antonio “Best Family Law Attorney” & “Arbitrator/Mediator” by Scene Magazine 2020 Best Litigation Attorneys in San Antonio by Expertise 2019 Stars of Texas Bar Award for Series of Articles- Substantive Law 2019 San Antonio Top Criminal Defense Lawyer by Scene Magazine 2019 Best Litigation Attorneys in San Antonio by Expertise 2017 San Antonio Best Family Law Attorney by Scene Magazine (Under 5 years) 2017 Nominated by YMCA of Greater San Antonio for the...

Aric J. Garza Law PLLC provides quality, results-oriented legal services to business and individual clients throughout Texas. Since 2002, we have provided worked hard to attain our clients' goals and zealously advocate for their interests. We assist clients in general litigation, real estate law, probate/estate planning and commercial/business matters. Aric is also a nationally recognized ADR expert, serving as a panelist for the American Arbitration Association (Commercial, Employment and Consumer Panels), FINRA, the CPR Institute and the AHLA. He is the Co-Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas ADR Section (Treasurer) and the San...

Laura D. Heard has practiced law in San Antonio, Texas for her entire career, spanning more than 3 decades. She is known for her motto: "Justice Flows from Truth, Compassion, Wisdom & Persistence." She is a Family Law Mediator, Divorce Attorney, Wills and Probate Attorney. Laura is tenacious and experienced, and also a great listener. She has handled hundreds of cases in Bexar County and the surrounding counties. She can help with child custody cases, property division disputes, alimony, child support, adoptions, executing new Wills, creating trusts, and probate after death. Laura is a family law Mediator...

Don Philbin is an innovative and tenacious mediator with a demonstrated history of resolving complex disputes. Recognized as a thought leader in Chambers USA, Who’s Who Legal, Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers, Don is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Civil Trial Mediators and International Academy of Mediators. He has served as chair of the Texas Bar ADR Section, is a teacher, author, and developer of Picture it Settled®, a pioneering software tool akin to “Moneyball” for negotiation.

As the former Judge of the 224th District Court, Bexar County, Texas, Judge Rene Diaz applies his 28+ years of civil litigation experience as well as his judicial experience and his training as a certified mediator/arbitrator to help guide cases to the best resolution possible. Judge Diaz has achieved a peer reviewed, AV Preeminent Rating with Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest possible rating for ethical standards and legal ability. He actively handles mediations and arbitrations of a wide variety of cases, including commercial litigation, personal injury, employment law, and family law, including divorce, child custody and child support cases....

I am a mediator with 24 years of trial experience in civil litigation, from personal injury to business law to family law. My background in handling cases gives me an edge on many mediators who haven't been in the trenches with their clients. I am fully bilingual in Spanish. I have handled everything from small claims cases to multi-million dollar claims and have a degree in psychology. I am able to effectively communicate with all parties to get the best resolution for their case. I offer both in-person and zoom mediations.

With 12 years of experience as a Justice at the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals and 26 years as a trial attorney, I bring a comprehensive understanding of the legal system, conflict resolution, and negotiation to mediations and arbitrations. As a Justice, I authored opinions in a wide range of cases, including business and commercial disputes, insurance coverage, oil & gas disputes, personal injury, indemnity, property disputes, libel and slander, fiduciary duty, employment, and arbitration. I developed a reputation for impartiality and independence, and a judge who followed the law. As a trial attorney, I specialized in complex litigation...

I have been a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas since 2003. In that time, I've focused on family law and estate planning/probate matters, with a special emphasis on child abuse and neglect cases. When it comes to child abuse and neglect cases, I've sat at every table in the courtroom, having represented parents, children and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services during my career.

At Roberson Duran Law, PLLC, we take a client-centered approach to legal representation, where we take into consideration the unique and specific needs of each client. We treat each...

I have been licensed to practice law in Texas for 40 years. I have tried thousands of cases, from traffic tickets to death penalty cases, from simple divorces and visitation cases to complex divorce and custody cases, to the court and to juries, in all levels of Texas trial courts and in the Federal Courts of Texas. I am a member of the San Antonio Bar Association, San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, State Bar of Texas.

Dan focuses on real estate litigation and transactions, estate planning and probate, and general civil litigation matters. He draws on his experience as a former County Court at Law Judge in Hays County handling thousands of civil and criminal matters. He is an AV-Preeminent rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell and recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer® (a Thompson Reuters rating service) in the area of General Litigation. He served as law clerk to Justice Davie L. Wilson of the First Court of Appeals in Houston before practicing for several years in the commercial litigation section a large Austin-based law firm. He is...

Tom Carnes is a civil trial lawyer and mediator in Fredericksburg, Texas, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.

Tom's practice in business litigation includes a broad range of matters, ranging from contracts, to real estate litigation, to construction disputes, to competitive hiring and trade secret litigation. His family law practice includes, but is not limited to, collaborative divorce matters. His traditional family law practice includes all aspects of family law, including divorce, child custody, modification, and enforcement.

Tom also serves as a neutral third-party mediator in a broad range of business and family law...

Byron L. LeFlore, Jr. practices in the areas of corporate law and business litigation. He has served as lead counsel in mergers and acquisitions, private offerings and public issuances, and other transactions in the financial services sector. His expertise also extends to entity formation and governance, negotiating and structuring complex transactions and contracts, and advising on commercial and business disputes. Mr. LeFlore’s experience also includes over 30 years of practice in state and federal courts. Focusing primarily on business and commercial litigation, his areas of concentration include insurance, tort defense, contract disputes, unfair competition, trade regulation, creditors’ rights, and labor law....

Internationally-acclaimed author and litigator David Barranco graduated with honors from the University of Texas’ Plan II Program in 1994 and from UT’s Law School in 1997. Based in Alamo Heights, Texas, David helps artists, writers, investors, designers, and other innovators reap (and retain) the financial rewards from their original creations. In 1993, David was named UT’s most outstanding liberal arts student; in 1997 he won the Willie Morris Award, which recognizes a superlative “call to intellectualism, vigorous defense of civil liberties, and overall pursuit of excellence.” After covering Microsoft's antitrust trial for the London Sunday Times, Mr. Barranco began his...

I have twenty-seven years of practice in litigation in various areas of the law including business, family and divorce, probate, real estate and creditor's rights. I also handle transactional matters including small estate drafting, real estate and contracts. I am the attorney for the Seguin Economic Development Corporation, handling all economic development matters for the City of Seguin. I was the Seguin City Attorney for 9 years.

I have a B.A. in History from UT Austin, a J.D. from the University of Houston and a Masters of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin. I have...

Full-time mediator for all areas of family law (divorce, custody, child support, paternity, modification, family disputes, assistance in working with elderly parents, etc.) for 20 years. Licensed Texas attorney for 30 years. Member of many mediation groups including the Association of Attorney-Mediators (AAM), Texas Association of Mediators (TAM), the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association (TMCA), State Bar of Texas and Austin Mediators Association (AMA). I serve on the boards for the Marble Falls Rotary, Highland Lakes Bar Association & I'm President-elect for 2023 for Texas Association of Mediators. I do in person and on-line mediations. Rates - $400 per side for 4...

Mary E. Ramos is a highly respected divorce attorney licensed to practice law in the great State of Texas. With over 18 years of experience, she has built a reputation as a knowledgeable and compassionate family law attorney, dedicated to representing her clients with integrity and expertise. Mary started her legal career by interning at the 312th Family Court before earning her license to practice law in 2004. She has handled thousands of cases while practicing family law in Texas. She became Board Certified In Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction earned by only the top...

With over 15 years of legal experience, Gratia goes to great lengths to ensure that every one of her clients, no matter the challenges they face, receives the compassion and respect they rightfully deserve. She is committed to personally guiding you through your legal journey, infusing it with her distinctive personal approach, empathy, and unwavering values. Gratia has assisted numerous clients in crafting their Trusts & Estate Plans, adeptly represented them in both uncontested and contested Probate cases, and provided invaluable support in matters such as Divorce, Paternity, Visitation, Child Support, and Adoption cases. Furthermore, Gratia boasts extensive experience as a...

An experienced family law, appellate, and litigation attorney who prides himself on delivering practical legal solutions and individual attention, John works closely with his clients to help them overcome some of their most serious challenges. John is a passionate advocate for his clients inside and outside the courtroom. He is equally at home advocating for a better deal at the negotiation table, clinching a closing argument to ensure the best possible verdict, and distilling complex issues into a clear brief for appellate review. He represents individuals in a full range of family law matters with a particular emphasis on unusual and complex...

My firm proudly helps people throughout East Texas with various types of legal matters. Our attorneys handle:

Personal Injury, Car Accidents, and Trucking Accidents

Family Law, Custody, and Divorce

Mediation and Arbitration

We offer flexible fees and reasonable cost legal services.

Attorney Boe Bowen is a native Texan. He was born and raised in Texas and the first in his family to receive a post-secondary education when he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sam Houston State University at Huntsville, Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and History. In 2010 Boe began his legal career by entering the class of 2013 at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas.

During his tenure in law school, Boe remained extremely active by working as a research assistant, tutor, and participated in the mock trial program. Boe graduated Magna Cum...

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.

Originally from New Orleans, Kathy E. Roux graduated from Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. While in law school, she was elected Freshman Class Representative and appointed Ombudsman for LSU’s Student Government Association. She won 1st place for the Southern Region in the Frederick Douglass Moot Court competition, and was chosen to represent LSU in the National Moot Court competition.
After graduation, she began working for Southeast Louisiana Legal Services in New Orleans, practicing poverty law. While there, her practice areas included Consumer Bankruptcy, Consumer Protection, Housing Law, and the Low...

• 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...

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...

Michael F. Pezzulli is a seasoned attorney with the experience and track record clients trust. He is a powerful advocate in court for clients facing high-conflict divorce, complex asset division, and every kind of civil trial matter. Pezzulli leverages deep knowledge of the law and decades of experience with judges and courts across Texas to fight for his clients. His passion for taking a strong case to court for a jury to decide, when settling would yield a fraction of its potential, has produced highly favorable results for many.

Pezzulli understands the emotional and financial toll of taking legal action...

Every day, people come to our law firm on their personal or professional darkest day. Generally speaking, this sense of dread is simply due to being overwhelmed by the situation before them. As a lawyer, being able to shoulder our client's burdens and guide them through the litigation process is extremely rewarding. A native of Fort Hood, Texas, I have built a national litigation practice based on my deep Texas roots. Practicing since 2013, I represent clients across Texas and nationwide facing complex business and intellectual property litigation, including non-compete violations, breach of contract matters, and fraud and misrepresentation. Whether it's...

Barletta Law, PLLC, focuses on civil, criminal, and family law appellate matters, writs of habeas corpus, family law litigation, and general civil litigation. Natalie is also a credentialed mediator. She has drafted briefs and motions filed in Texas state and federal courts, achieving favorable results for clients at both the trial and appellate levels. She was the second chair member of an arbitration trial team that defended a lawsuit where the plaintiffs claimed $500 million in damages and judgment was rendered in favor of her client on all counts. During law school, she was a national champion moot court advocate,...