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.

U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® collaboratively announced the release of is “Best Law Firms” rankings, including Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group as a Tier 1 firm for several specialties in four different metropolitan areas. Specifically, UWWM achieved Tier 1 rankings for arbitration and mediation in Birmingham, Ala., and Orlando, Fla., metros and for mediation in the Miami-Dade, Fla., metro. Additionally, the firm was awarded Tier 2 ranking for mediation in the Fort Lauderdale metro.

Not only do we have two panel members who were named Lawyer of the Year for metro areas in Alabama and Florida, but also Upchurch Watson White & Max achieved recognition in the 2021 edition of the "Top-Listed Report" from The Best Lawyers in America. We won the Top-Listed State Award for Mediation in Florida and Alabama and the Top-Listed City Award for Mediation in Birmingham. "The 'Top-Listed' designation is given to the firm that has the most recognized lawyers in a particular location and practice area."