Mediators based at five of Upchurch Watson White & Max's Florida offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2021 Super Lawyers® list for the state. All of them have been included on this list for at least five years, and all were selected for their primary practice area of ADR. They are: Firm Principal Rodney A. Max, Steven R. Jaffe and John B. Marion IV, all based in South Florida; Renée E. Thompson, Central and North Central Florida; and Firm Principal Robert A. Cole, Central and North Florida.

Richard Lord, UWWM shareholder and mediator, plans to accept an invitation from Senior Legal Skills Professor Joan Stearns Johnsen to join the Advisory Board of the Institute for Dispute Resolution at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. The Advisory Board will comprise "Levin College of Law alumni whose area of practice is primarily dispute resolution whether as a neutral or a practitioner," Professor Johnsen wrote.

After 30 years in the judiciary, Rick Orfinger begins mediating and arbitrating in earnest this month. Before his time on the bench, the Daytona Beach native was locally prominent as a shareholder in two law firms.

Mr. Dennis officially joined Upchurch Watson White & Max's panel at the first of the year. He is based in South Florida but able to mediate anywhere through videoconferencing.

Steven R. Jaffe, Ana Cristina Maldonado and Carl B. Schwait, mediators with Upchurch Watson White & Max, are now members of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. "Membership is by invitation only and limited to professional mediators and arbitrators who are well established as trusted neutrals among the legal community within their state of practice," according to the academy's website.

UWWM President and CEO John Upchurch recently announced that shareholders A. Michelle Jernigan, Robert A. 'Bob' Cole and Charles A. 'Chuck' Mancuso, based throughout Florida, have accepted an invitation to become equity principals, effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Three UWWM principals were nominated and recognized for their "experience and expertise as mediators in a broad spectrum of disputes across a variety of industries."

Ms. Brimmer officially joined Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group on Nov. 1.

One of UWWM's founding partners, Terrence "Terry" White, hosted the circuit's judicial nominating commission in the firm's Ormond Beach office twice, on Oct.2 and Nov. 2, 2020, for hybrid events with public observers, candidates and some commission members appearing via Zoom, and other commission members appearing in person.