Russell C. Gallagher, most recently a captain for Southwest Airlines, has landed as a full-time neutral with Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group. Mr. Gallagher’s legal career extended from 1986 to 1992, and he was a commercial litigator with Boult, Cummings, Conners and Berry (now Bradley Arandt et al), with emphasis on contract disputes, for five years. He also represented a music management group, individual musical artists and a business aircraft leasing company, and he remains a licensed attorney to this day. In keeping with his Nashville home base, he received both his bachelor of arts and law degrees from Vanderbilt University. He first became a Tennessee Rule 31 Court Certified Civil Mediator in 2012 and took a dispute resolution training course at Pepperdine University the next year.

Reginald D. Hicks, an experienced civil mediator and arbitrator, has joined Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group as a full-time neutral. Since 1987, he has represented both individual and corporate clients throughout the state, primarily litigating civil cases before juries and judges.

Vincent M. “Vinny” D’Assaro, a long-time litigator, left the line of fire earlier this year and is now a full-time dispute resolution professional on Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group’s panel. Mr. D’Assaro has been Florida Supreme Court-certified as a mediator since 2005, but he was focused on an active litigation practice until May 2023, allowing him to bring a unique perspective to his mediations.

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (August 7, 2023) – Best Lawyers, a well-known attorney review and rating service, has recognized nine Upchurch Watson White & Max dispute resolution professionals in its 2024 edition. Mediator John B. Marion IV, based in West Palm Beach, Fla., has received the honor for the first time, and Lawrence M. Watson Jr., based in Maitland, Fla. has been recognized for both arbitration and mediation for the 20th time.

Frank M. Bedell, well-known throughout Central Florida for his years as a skilled mediator and arbitrator and as a leader in the Orange County Bar Association and The Florida Bar, has joined Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group. Mr. Bedell, as both a commercial trial lawyer and dispute resolution practitioner, has more than 35 years of experience in helping parties find the best way to resolve legal conflicts.

Jeanne K. Spital – a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney who has handled cases involving personal injury/torts, professional liability, products liability, construction defect, contractual disputes and copyright – recently launched her full-time mediation practice with Upchurch Watson White & Max. As a Florida civil litigator, she has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts, becoming a partner at a boutique firm and then of counsel to a large statewide firm.

The 2023 Florida Super Lawyers Magazine published today, June 27, and included eight Upchurch Watson White & Max mediators among its attorneys with the primary practice area of Alternative Dispute Resolution. All were repeat honorees, with Gainesville-based John D. Jopling on the list for the 17th time.

A Circuit Judge of more than 32 years, Charles M. “Charlie” Greene has left the bench to join Upchurch Watson White & Max’s panel as a mediator, special magistrate and arbitrator. “We are delighted that Charlie Greene selected UWWM to manage his neutral practice following his distinguished judicial career,” firm CEO John Upchurch says. “His broad experience, coupled with his reputation for inspiring others to collaborate to reach common ground, will serve our clients well.”

SARASOTA, Fla. (March 8, 2023) – Mark A. Haskins, who has been actively mediating for more than five years, has joined the distinguished panel of Upchurch Watson White & Max. He brings a reputation for engaging even the most reluctant parties and helping them actively participate in the mediation process to achieve reasonable resolutions. More than 32 years of civil litigation as both plaintiff and defense counsel in Florida’s Southwest Gulf Coast Region also serve as a backdrop for his full-time neutral career.

ORMOND BEACH. FL. (February 20, 2023) – Steven L. Sands has begun to mediate as part of Upchurch Watson White & Max’s distinguished panel of neutrals. He is based in Central Florida, but, like all UWWM mediators, is available in person or by Zoom. He has now completed his transition from litigator to full-time dispute resolution professional, fulfilling a longtime goal of helping parties settle differences in a compassionate, personalized manner. He plans to use the full breadth of his experience in that pursuit.