Arbitration Experience:

Experience:

Arbitrator/mediator

January 1, 2007 - Present

• Arbitrator in disputes involving complex commercial litigation, personal injury, contract disputes, deceptive trade practice, consumer fraud and residential and commercial property defect cases.

• Mediator in hundreds of cases with a 90% settlement rate.  Mediations of commercial and residential construction defect cases, dram shop cases, legal malpractice, non-subscriber workers compensation, personal injury, contract interpretation, collections, deceptive trade practice, fraud, employment disputes and intellectual property cases.

• Receiver for winding up of businesses.

• Umpire for insurance company/insured disputes.

• Special Discovery Master for State and County Courts.  Guardian ad litem for minor plaintiffs.  Attorney ad litem and guardian ad litem for seniors.

AV® Preeminent™ Attorney Martindale-Hubbell (peer rating)Judge, 44th Judicial District Court – Dallas County, Texas

June 1, 2002 – December 31, 2006

• Presided over hundreds of jury and non-jury trials with disputes involving mass torts, complex commercial litigation, medical malpractice, personal injury, intellectual property, contract interpretation, product liability, legal malpractice, deceptive trade practices, consumer fraud, employment discrimination and wrongful termination.

• Presided over scores of temporary restraining orders and temporary injunctions.

• Presiding Judge for the 1st Judicial Administrative Region of all Bridgestone/Ford Explorer product liability cases.

Civil District Court Master (Associate Judge)

March 1, 1998 – May 31, 2002

• Presided over more than 4,000 discovery hearings concerning every phase of District Court litigation

• Co-Authored the current Civil District Court Associate Judge legislation for submission to the Texas legislature through its State House and Senate sponsors David Kelton, Attorney at Law, PC – Solo Practice

January 1, 1980 – February 28, 1998

• Private practice litigation attorney representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of complex corporate disputes, products liability, deceptive trade practices, workers compensation and personal injury

• General civil office practice including wills and trusts, business formation, real-estate transactions

• Mediator in over 150+ mediations with a 90%+ settlement rate

Johnson Shanklin Billings Kelton & Porter

May 1, 1975 – December 31, 1979

• Private practice litigation attorney primarily representing defendants in personal injury cases

• General civil office practice

Vial Hamilton Koch Knox Tubb and Stradley - Associate

September 25, 1972 – April 30, 1975
Private practice litigation attorney primarily representing defendants in personal injury cases

Education:

Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution – University of Texas School of Law – Austin, Texas

November 2006
Certification as Mediator and Third Party Neutral pursuant to Chapter 154, Civil Practices and Remedies Code

University of Texas School of Law – Austin, Texas

June 1969 – May 1972

• Juris Doctor

University of Colorado – Boulder, Colorado

September 1964 – May 1968

• Bachelor of Arts in English and History

Memberships:

• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

• College of the State Bar of Texas

• Dallas Bar Association

• Texas Bar Association

• United States District Courts - Northern District of Texas

• Kappa Sigma Fraternity (Delta Tau Chapter)

• Texas Army National Guard (1968-1974)

Community:

• Founding Member – Dallas Young Lawyers Foundation

• Downtown Dallas YMCA volunteer for 35 years: Voice of the Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot benefitting Y Community Service Programs

• Former instructor - Dallas County Community College District (El Centro Campus)

• Former member - Dallas YMCA Board of Directors

• Former member - Richardson Theater Center Board of Directors

• Participating Judge -  Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program

• Participating Judge – Texas High School Mock Trial Program