April Walker knew she wanted to be a lawyer earlier than many and eventually decided she could best use her skills as a mediator. In this installment of “Meet our Mediators,” Richard Lord introduces us to one of the recent additions to our mediation panel. "Ms. Walker, recognized by the Florida Trend 2018 Legal Elite, grew up with a front row seat to trial practice, almost literally," he writes. "You see, well before high school, because her mom worked in the Dade County Courthouse, April often found herself in the gallery during holiday breaks. There, she was introduced to the courtroom and to a career of wanting to help people. Like many effective mediators, she has a sincere curiosity about the role of human behavior in dispute dynamics and is a patient facilitator in the process of peeling back the layers of a dispute to identify potential solutions. The search for the elements of a possible resolution, the process of exploration and negotiation fit her interests and personality very well."

If Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King had not related the true story in 'Beneath a Ruthless Sun,' many who know Judge Graham very well would not have known about his courage and determination as a young attorney. Graham, a mediator with Upchurch Watson White & Max since 2012, will receive an award, named for him by his local bar association, on Oct. 24, 2019.