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.

Soon to be unveiled: A bust honoring Dick Graham, a mediator with our group until his recent retirement. "A longtime colleague and friend of Mr. Graham, John Upchurch, (said). 'Richard Graham is a gifted lawyer, yet one of the most humble men I’ve known ... It brings home to me that ordinary people, when motivated and inspired, are capable of great things.' He noted the significance (Gilbert) King’s book had in this moment. Mr. Upchurch’s son, Thomas, also a lawyer, led the effort to commission the bust."

ORMOND BEACH. Fla. (February 15, 2023) – Kenton V. Sands, a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator and Qualified Arbitrator, has become a full-time neutral with Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group. He has been representing both plaintiffs and defendants in private practice for nearly 30 years and brings that experience to bear in his new career. For the last three decades, he litigated personal injury and complex financial crime cases in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels.

"The program will feature the top speakers in the United States on tax, business, and estate planning issues. It is designed to be practical, informative, engaging, and state-of-the-art. ... This program is developed by practicing tax professionals for other tax professionals."

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (December 26, 2022) – Three Upchurch Watson White & Max mediators are newly confirmed as members of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, according to Darren Lee, the academy’s director. John B. Marion IV, Kevin “Bo” Dennis and April Y. Walker will join 33 other UWWM panel members who have attained NADN membership.