Steven Jaffe, known for his extensive litigation practice and charitable efforts, has joined Upchurch Watson White & Max as a mediator. He is making the transition to full-time neutral after serving as a partner at several well-known civil trial firms, most recently Fort Lauderdale-based Farmer, Jaffe, Weissing, Edwards, Fistos & Lehrman, PL. During his career as a litigator, Mr. Jaffe took part in more than 200 mediations and developed a true passion for the dispute resolution process

ORMOND BEACH, Fla., October 19, 2017 - A controversial speaking engagement today at the University of Florida in Gainesville and a state of emergency declared days in advance for Alachua County won't derail the plans of 19 mediators who are set to present an eight-hour educational program Friday at the university's Levin College of Law. The college's Institute for Dispute Resolution invited the mediators, all members of Upchurch Watson White & Max's panel of neutrals, to deliver eight hour-long presentations months ahead of this week's events. Topics include, fittingly enough, "Defusing Volatile Emotions," as well as advanced communication and negotiation skills

Honorees were recognized in mediation and arbitration practice areas, as well as appellate practice and product liability litigation - defendants. UWWM attorney mediators have been listed by Best Lawyers since 2005.

In keeping with its commitment to education and enrichment for attorney colleagues, Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group embarked on a sponsorship of the annual convention and seminar presented by Florida Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates (FLABOTA) earlier this year. It's at least the eighth consecutive year UWWM has supported and sent representatives to the event.

Earlier this summer, Brandon Peters, dispute resolution counsel with Upchurch Watson White & Max, was part of the faculty for "Hot Topics in Evidence 2017," an annual seminar presented by the Florida Bar's Code of Evidence and Rules Committee and the Bar's Criminal Law and Trial Lawyers sections. His presentation, "Unspoken Evidence," is now available -- along with the seminar's eight other sessions -- as a CD or DVD recording. 

Five mediators from Upchurch Watson White & Max have formed unique teams to present cutting-edge programming for the 25th annual conference of the Florida Dispute Resolution Center this week at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes Orlando. For example, firm principals Rodney A. Max and Lawrence M. "Larry" Watson Jr. will discuss "Mediation in Public Policy" with state Sen. Gary Farmer of Fort Lauderdale in two 75-minute sessions on Friday. "Mediation in the last quarter of a century has proven itself as an effective process for resolving cases within the judicial branch of our government at the federal state, and local levels"; the presentation makes the case for extending the benefit of mediation -- effective and efficient decision-making -- to the legislative and executive branches as well, conference organizers explain.

Scott Baughan, a 25-year civil litigator and native and resident of Brevard County, Fla., has joined Upchurch Watson White & Max's panel of dispute resolution professionals. Just prior to becoming a full-time mediator at the end of July, Mr. Baughan was a partner with Moore Eavenson Baughan PLC, also in Brevard. His career experience comprises many hundreds of litigated matters, including numerous jury trials, arbitrations and appellate proceedings as lead counsel. He also has represented both plaintiff and defendant in hundreds of mediations for tort cases ranging from death and catastrophic injury to soft tissue injury, with a heavy concentration in medical malpractice cases.

Mediator Rodney Max, a principal of Upchurch Watson White & Max, has assisted parties in achieving the settlement of a class action lawsuit, bringing relief to drivers of three 2013-'14 models of Nissan vehicles. Although mediation is confidential, Mr. Max's involvement in the matter became part of the public record today, as the Daily Business Review published an account of the agreement, which was approved earlier this summer. "After two and a half years of litigation, a Miami judge gave final approval to a nationwide class action settlement providing extended warranties to owners of the affected cars," Celia Ampel wrote for the DBR. "The agreement, which also includes a cash component for class members who already sold their cars, is worth at least $37 million, according to court documents." In those documents, Mr. Max described the settlement as “the product of lengthy and particularly hard-fought negotiations which took place on an ongoing basis between July 2015 and September 2016.

Recently, Richard Lord and Charles "Chuck" Tetunic, mediators and shareholders with Upchurch Watson White & Max, were part of a panel for the inaugural conference of The Gavel: Your Claims Defense Network. Their�topic was "Negotiating with Smart Tactics: Vinegar or Honey?," and the discussion was moderated by Florida Bar board certified trial attorney Dan Santaniello of Luks Santaniello Petrillo & Jones in Boca Raton. The Gavel is "a nationwide network of vetted attorneys -- vetted by industry professionals for industry professionals," according to its website, which also serves as an access point for the network. This year the conference, which will become an annual event, was at the Boca Raton Resort and Club on June 13 and 14.

Mediator Ricardo Cata chaired a panel for The Florida Bar International Law Section at the recent Bar Convention in Boca Raton. The topic, "Escalation Clauses in Cross-Border Dispute Resolution: Why Your Client Wants Mediation," drew interest from the local media. "Even in a legal market where clients are eager to avoid the heavy costs of litigation, broaching the option of mediation can be tricky for outside lawyers," wrote Monika Gonzalez Mesa of the Daily Business Review. "Some fear bringing it up will make them or their case appear weak. Others may wonder if a faster, less adversarial approach could mean a smaller recovery for their client­—and fewer billable hours for their firm."