Two colleagues recognized for excellence in alternative dispute resolution
MIAMI (October 14, 2026) – Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group (UWWM) is pleased to announce that mediators Lance August Harke and Scott R. Schomber have been selected as 2026 Circle of Excellence Award honorees by the Miami-Dade Bar in the Alternative Dispute Resolution category.
The annual awards recognize outstanding members of Miami-Dade County’s legal community for their professional accomplishments, integrity and contributions to their respective practice areas. Mr. Harke and Mr. Schomber are among six individuals selected for recognition in alternative dispute resolution this year.
“On behalf of UWWM, a Veritext ADR company, we are pleased to see both Scott and Lance selected as Miami-Dade Bar Circle of Excellence honorees,” Matthew P. York, senior vice president of Veritext ADR, said. “They are both outstanding members of the Miami-Dade legal community, and this recognition speaks to their hard work and dedication serving their clients and throughout greater Florida, and we congratulate them on this honor.”
The award recipients were chosen through a peer-driven selection process that included nominations and input from members of the legal profession and the public. Final selections were made by a committee composed of previous Circle of Excellence Award recipients.
Other UWWM panel members in the circle are Rodney A. Max, who was honored for ADR in 2023, the awards’ inaugural year, and Karen A. Brimmer, who received the same recognition last year.
This year’s honorees are experienced mediators as well. Mr. Harke joined UWWM in 2021 and has built a meaningful practice, focusing on class action and other high-stakes disputes. Before becoming a full-time neutral, he practiced in the area of multi-state consumer class action litigation. He served as lead class counsel or a member of the plaintiffs’ steering committee in a wide variety of national multi-district mass tort and class action litigations, including some of the largest cases in U.S. history.
Mr. Schomber has had a significant mediation practice since 2016 and joined UWWM in 2022. His 30-year background as an advocate for individuals, insurance carriers and businesses allows him to understand and respect the viewpoints of all parties at the mediation table. He has noteworthy experience in first-party insurance claims, coverage disputes, commercial litigation, and commercial landlord-tenant disputes.
UWWM is a sponsor of this year’s Circle of Excellence Awards ceremony, set for Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
About Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group
Upchurch Watson White & Max is a nationally recognized mediation firm with access to offices nationwide. UWWM provides mediation and arbitration services in complex commercial litigation, class and mass actions, personal injury, insurance, employment, construction and numerous other areas of civil dispute resolution. Its experienced neutrals help parties resolve disputes efficiently and effectively outside the courtroom. For more information, visit uww-adr.com.
About the Miami-Dade Bar Circle of Excellence Awards
The Miami-Dade Bar’s Circle of Excellence Awards recognize legal professionals who demonstrate exceptional skill, integrity and professionalism. The 2026 program honors 119 recipients across 27 practice areas. More information is available at miamidadebar.org/circleofexcellence.