Texas Association of Mediators, TAM

It is with heart-wrenching sadness that we share the passing of our colleague and friend, Walter Wright. Walter transitioned December 28 with his loved ones by his side following a devastating heart attack on Christmas Eve. Our understanding is that Walter’s memorial service is being planned for March in Austin. TAM will send out an announcement once details are available. Please click on the link below if you would like to write a condolence message to Walter’s family, share a fond memory, or provide a tribute to Walter’s unparalleled legacy. If you would like to share photos, please email them to [email protected]. Thank you for taking the time to share about this ever-beloved human! Share a message at the link below: https://lnkd.in/gGmm2sUw

The Texas Association of Mediators (TAM) is honored to receive a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to partially fund the audio/visual expenses for the 2025 conference, ensuring a high-quality experience for attendees as they engage in innovative workshops, insightful presentations, and dynamic discussions on the evolving role of mediation in Texas. As our members know and the Texas Bar Foundation recognized, TAM offers a unique arena for a wide array of professionals to gather around the shared craft of mediation. While many of mediators have a legal background practicing law, mediators bring diverse skills and backgrounds to the scene. By supporting mediation, the Texas Bar Foundation is helping uplift many industries at once. TAM also convenes professionals from across the state, meaning that this grant helps support the many mediators far and wide who then go on to support countless across the state. We thank the Texas Bar Foundation for making it possible for TAM to have an impact far and wide! About the Texas Bar Foundation:? Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $28 million in grants to law- related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation. #Mediation #Texas #TexasBarFoundation #TAMConference2025

TAM recognizes and celebrates the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association (TMCA), which promotes quality mediation throughout Texas, as well as its awardees for the important work in enhancing the field of mediation! This post celebrates Melanie E. Grimes, selected by TMCA for the 2024 Outstanding Credentialed Mediator award. Mike Schless, who presented this award, made the following remarks: "We all come to our mediation practices with our formal education, our professional experience, and our life lessons. Melanie certainly brings a wealth of those lessons to enrich her effectiveness as a mediator. Through her participation in the More to Life Foundation, Melanie has completed and supported a broad variety of immersive personal development courses. As a Texas Master Naturalist, she co-created and continues to champion her Chapter’s “What Kind of Naturalist Are You?” community connection materials, now also in Spanish. As a member of the board of Mental Health America of Greater Dallas, Melanie works for the mental well-being of all members of her community. And as a volunteer at her church, she brings joy to the holiday shopping experience by assembling fair trade “maker-to-market” goods for their two-day Global Village Market. Our dear Melanie brings every positive adjective from Assiduous to Zealous to her work on our behalf at TMCA. The award we are bestowing on her is inscribed “Her Vitality, Ingenuity, Creativity, and Compassion Benefit Us All.” This year marks the tenth time this award has been given to one exceptional professional among many deserving Texas mediators. All prior recipients have been attorneys. Being the true ground breaker that she is, I am proud to say that Melanie Grimes is the first REAL PERSON to receive TMCA’s highest honor." #Mediation #Award #Texas

Don't miss the next TAM talk this Thursday! Guest speaker Alec Chapa will go live via Zoom at 4pm to share about the demonstrable value of pre-filing mediation, and the tools used to make selling this unique mediation program a breeze. You'll definitely want to tune in for this! Attendance is limited to TAM members only. TAM members will see the link in TAM Talk emails. The latest was sent yesterday, 11:15 am CST, subject line “TAM Talk - Thursday, September 19th 4:00 PM - Conflict and the Economy: Understanding Landlord/Tenant and Eviction Mediation” #DisputeResolution #Mediation #Housing #Eviction #EvictionPrevention

TAM invites proposals for Session/Workshop Presenters for its 2025 Annual TAM Conference on March 28-29, 2025, at the Hotel Paso Del Norte in downtown El Paso, Texas. We are seeking engaging, relevant, and stimulating topics that will inspire and motivate our members to new heights. In addition to professionals in mediation and related forms of ADR, TAM welcomes proposals from experts in other fields who can provide insight, knowledge, or skills to expand and enrich mediation and conflict resolution. We also seek presentations addressing ethical issues related to mediation and our profession’s current and emerging trends. Please note preference will be given to presenters who did not present at our 2024 Conference. In gratitude to our speakers, TAM will provide complimentary conference registration, one (1) night hotel stay at the group rate, and hotel parking. The Hotel Paso Del Norte provides a complimentary, on-request shuttle to and from El Paso International Airport (ELP). Keynote presenters may receive additional compensation. Click The Link Below to Read Speaker Proposal Submission Requirements: https://lnkd.in/gG-EQ-Da Click The Link Below to Submit a Speaker Proposal https://lnkd.in/gBMNQqtX #DisputeResolution #Negotiation #Mediation #Texas #NewMexico

can't wait to see everyone there!

TAM is so excited for our Annual Conference, The Legacy of Mediation, being held in the Dallas/Plano area on March 15th-16th of 2024. ?We could not put on this event without our incredible sponsors! ? Thank you so much for all you have done for TAM, and continue to do for us.

TAM is so excited for our Annual Conference, The Legacy of Mediation, being held in the Dallas/Plano area on March 15th-16th of 2024. ?Meet our Speakers? Mardi Winder-Adams Founder Positive Communication Systems, LLC https://lnkd.in/erpaWbdw https://www.poscs.com/ Mardi Winder-Adams is the go-to divorce coach for high-achieving women. She is dedicated to supporting women in taking control of their separation and divorce to reduce the emotional and financial costs of the process. Mardi offers over 30 years of experience helping women navigate the challenges of high-conflict and high-asset divorces. Mardi is an ICF and BCC Executive and Leadership Coach, Certified Divorce Transition Coach, and TMCA Credentialed Distinguished Mediator. She founded Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and hosts the podcast “The D Shift: Redefining Divorce and Beyond” and the online event “Real Divorce Talks.”

TAM is so excited for our Annual Conference, The Legacy of Mediation, being held in the Dallas/Plano area on March 15th-16th of 2024. ?Meet our Speakers? Brent Turman Bell Nunnally & Martin, LLP Brent Turman leverages his background in film and television production to communicate compelling arguments that tell clients’ stories to the jury with clarity and persuasion. He is no stranger to resolving contentious disputes and helping his clients protect their assets and intellectual capital. Brent advocates for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 50 companies in a wide variety of business and intellectual property disputes. He has represented clients in complex arbitration and litigation involving business disputes, real estate transactions, and claims of patent, copyright, and trademark infringement. In addition to his trial experience, Brent has served as production counsel for films produced in Texas and helps clients in the entertainment sports industries navigate contracts, negotiations, and business disputes.

TAM is so excited for our Annual Conference, The Legacy of Mediation, being held in the Dallas/Plano area on March 15th-16th of 2024. ?Meet our Speakers? Ross W. Stoddard, III Ross W. Stoddard, III, has been a full-time professional mediator in Las Colinas (Irving), Texas, for the past 34 years. He practiced law for 15 years prior to his training as a mediator in 1989, and has conducted 5,000+ mediations involving over $30+ billion in aggregate claims. For a dozen years, Ross designed and taught the Effective Negotiations and Global Business Environments courses in the SMU Excecutive MBA Program. He has served on the faculty of three dozen mediation training programs and authored a chapter in the ABA’s "The Litigator’s Handbook." Ross currently serves as Co-President of the World Forum of Mediation Centres (of the Union Internationale des Avocats [UIA] International Association of Lawyers, headquartered in Paris, France). He is blessed to be married to his wife, June, for the past 31+ years; has two sons (legally, step-sons) and six grandchildren; and is awaiting the time to have another rescued Golden Retriever in his life.