Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group mourns the loss of our friend and colleague, Judge Richard Shaw Graham, who passed away on June 2, 2026, at the age of 83.

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 17, 2026) -- Wednesday evening, mediator Steven R. Jaffe, a full-time neutral with Upchurch Watson White & Max, will speak at the 2026 FJA’s John Romano Workhorse® Seminar in Orlando. His session, “The Art and Methodology of Anticipating & Responding to What‑If Scenarios in Mediation & Settlement Negotiations,” is scheduled for 7 p.m. during the Annual Settlement & Negotiation Institute.

Upchurch Watson White & Max mourns the passing of Michael “Mike” B. Walls, a Principal Mediator in our Birmingham office whose distinguished career, steadfast professionalism, and genuine kindness made him one of the most trusted neutrals in Alabama. Mike passed away on December 8, 2025, leaving behind a legacy defined by fairness, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to helping people resolve their most difficult disputes

Upchurch Watson White & Max is pleased to support the University of Miami School of Law’s 10th Annual Class Action & Complex Litigation Forum as a Bronze Sponsor. The program returns on January 30, 2026, bringing together leading judges, practitioners and scholars for one of the nation’s premier discussions on class action and multidistrict litigation. Among the experts is UWWM mediator/arbitrator Lance A. Harke, who will serve on the panel for the session titled “Managing the Class Action Approval Process.”