Try Someone New: Diverse Mediator List
The NCBA is launching the “Try Someone New” campaign to encourage all forms of diversity, equity and inclusion in dispute resolution.
The Dispute Resolution Section has spearheaded this critical project and compiled a list of mediators of color to enhance the accessibility and acceptance of ADR, and to ensure that all available talent is deployed in support of alternative dispute resolution. Mediation participants benefit from diverse neutrals as diversity of thought and experience has been proven to boost creativity and innovation which is an imperative skill to successful mediation conferences. When people come from different backgrounds, have a variety of life experiences, and see the world in unique ways, multiple perspectives are brought to the table.
At the NCBA Dispute Resolution Section Council meeting on March 17, 2022, the Council unanimously approved the following motion, made by the Race & Equity Committee:
- We move for the NCBA DR Section to adopt an initiative to actively support, promote and encourage the designation and appointment of mediators of color in NC consistent with the NCBA guidelines that seek to develop equity and inclusion and to dismantle systemic racism in our justice system.
Please consider using these mediators in your future mediations.
Additional Resources
These resources provide further research and support for why firms should consider diversity in their services:
- Reckoning with Race and Racism
- The Ray Corollary Initiative: How to Achieve Diversity and Inclusion in Arbitrator Selection
- How Diversity Makes Us Smarter
- If There’s Only One Woman in Your Candidate Pool, There’s Statistically No Chance She’ll Be Hired
Diverse Mediators
Lori Christian is a retired judge with fifteen years of judicial experience in civil, criminal and family law.
Mediation practice areas
Employment cases, labor law, and family law
Contact
Lori Christian ADR
Click on the “Inquire” button to initiate scheduling a mediation or arbitration.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-christian-56ba86249/
Angela Gray is the Managing Partner of Gray Newell Thomas, LLP, and is licensed to practice law in the United States Supreme Court, the North Carolina Supreme Court, and all State and Federal Courts of North Carolina. Ms. Gray is a former Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has lectured throughout the state of North Carolina on the topics of employment law, sexual harassment and discrimination. Ms. Gray has been featured in “Lawyers Weekly” and numerous other publications for her outstanding work in the area of employment law. In addition to practicing law, Ms. Gray is a North Carolina State Certified Mediator and an AAA Arbitrator and Mediator.
Mediation practice areas
Employment Law
Contact
Partner, Gray Newell Thomas, LLP
7 Corporate Center Court, Suite B, Greensboro, NC 27408
336.285.8151
[email protected]
Nichole M. Hatcher, Esq. is the founding member of Hatcher Legal, PLLC. Ms. Hatcher received her Juris Doctorate from Howard University in May 2002 and her Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science from Morgan State University in May 1999. She is a member of the North Carolina and Maryland State Bar Associations, Leary Bar Association, Business Network International (BNI), and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Her former associations include Habitat for Humanity, ARC of Baltimore, Monumental Bar Association, Waring Mitchell Bar Association, and Black Woman’s Bar Association. Ms. Hatcher brings more than 20 years of experience into the courtroom. She has practiced before the state, federal, and appellate courts throughout the Fourth Circuit, including handling bench and jury trials.
Mediation practice areas
Business Law and Litigation; Contract Disputes; Contractor Disputes; Estate Disputes; and Personal Injury
Contact
Hatcher Legal, PLLC
Manisha P. Patel is a family law attorney representing clients in various stages of their domestic law matters. A Virginia native, Manisha graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with Bachelor’s degrees in both Economics and History. Manisha earned her Juris Doctor from Elon University School of Law. She identified family law as an area of interest early in her first year of law school and has since dedicated her practice to offer compassion, dedication, and zealous legal support to individuals in emotionally trying seasons of life. Manisha was first certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as a Family Financial Settlement Mediator in December 2022.
Manisha has been recognized over the course of her career for her leadership in the legal profession furthering the voice and rights of women in the profession and under the law. Manisha was elected in 2021 to a three-year term as Councilor for the North Carolina State Bar Council, the agency which regulates the legal profession in North Carolina, to represent the 24th Judicial District.
Manisha has held leadership roles within the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, serving as a two-term President in 2019 and 2020. In August 2022, Manisha was sworn in on the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations. Manisha is the current Vice-Chair of the NCBA Women in the Profession Committee for the 2022-2023 year. Manisha also serves on the Board of Directors for Legal Aid of North Carolina. In addition, Manisha has been recognized for her pro bono legal service by the North Carolina Bar Association in 2019 as the Young Lawyer Pro Bono Attorney of the Year and by the Greensboro Bar Association with their Pro Bono Award for 2020. Manisha is also a multi-year inductee into the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society and the Greensboro Bar Association Herb Falk Pro Bono Society.
Mediation practice areas
Family Law
Contact
Manisha P. Patel, Esq. she/her/hers
Managing Attorney
Law Office of Manisha P. Patel, PLLC
333 N. Greene Street, Suite 404
Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: 336.203.8882
[email protected]
Schedule >>
Shalanna L. Pirtle, Esq. began her legal career as an employment defense litigator at Parker Poe in Charlotte where she currently serves as the firm’s Chief Talent, Diversity and Inclusion Officer. A native of Gary, Indiana, Shalanna is an insightful counselor, communicator and problem-solver with an innate ability to help individuals work through conflict. She has extensive experience identifying key areas of dispute, diffusing tension, building bridges to better understanding between parties, and helping them find common ground with patience, empathy, and perseverance. As an entrepreneur, former trainer in a large restaurant chain, and a child of a school teacher and steel mill worker, Shalanna draws on a wealth of experiences in understanding the pressure points critical to decision-making and the assessment of risk for employees and employers alike, business-owners, business partners, and parties to disputes in general. Shalanna is highly regarded for her ability to help parties craft creative solutions tailored to the nuances of their specific disputes.
Shalanna is passionate about conflict resolution, is certified as a mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission, and mediates disputes of varying subject matters at the state and federal levels, both before and during litigation. Shalanna serves on the Alterity ADR panel as well as several rosters in North Carolina state and federal courts.
Mediation Practice Areas
Employment, Contract and Business Disputes
Contact
[email protected]
704-335-6628
Shalanna L. Pirtle | Parker Poe
SHALANNA PIRTLE – Alterity ADR
Jerri J. Simmons is a Partner in the Charlotte office of Cranfill Sumner, where she has been practicing defense litigation since joining the firm in 2010. Jerri has experience handling claims in many areas of workers’ compensation. Specifically, she has handled all types of injury by accident and specific traumatic incident claims. She has handled death claims as well. Jerri also has significant experience handling occupational disease claims, such as claims involving asbestosis, mesothelioma, silicosis, chemical exposures, etc. Jerri would love the opportunity to assist parties with resolving claims through the mediation process.
Mediation practice areas
Jerri mediates workers’ compensation claims.
Contact
Cranfill Sumner
704.940.3442
[email protected] and [email protected]
Peter D. Singh Jr. has a depth of experience helping startups, investors, and businesses of all sizes that informs Pete’s services as an arbitrator and mediator. As an attorney at Fourscore Business Law in Raleigh, North Carolina, Pete has guided businesses and investors through venture capital financing, intellectual property protection, commercial transactions, licensing and partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and employment and consultant relationships.
That background gives Pete insight into a variety of common business activities that can lead to disputes, and various approaches to resolving issues. It helps Pete help clients craft effective solutions that can get everyone moving on with business as seamlessly as possible after a dispute. Pete’s ability to work with enterprises of all sizes offers a unique grasp of parties’ varying needs and how to bring them through pivotal points to a successful resolution.
Pete is a AAA Higginbotham Fellow, and serves as a certified arbitrator and mediator on several rosters including BBB, FINRA, Alterity ADR and VLA, as well as NC and NY state courts.
Mediation practice areas
Corporate, entertainment, IP licensing, and M&A
Contact
Fourscore Business Law & Alterity ADR
16 W Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27601-1314
919.307.5356
[email protected]
linkedin.com/in/peterdsinghjr
Schedule >>
Theresa A. Viera has been a family law attorney and litigator for 10 years. During her legal practice, Theresa has represented various clients in the negotiation, mediation and litigation processes of domestic law. In recognizing that the courtroom is not always the best place for a family and their affairs, Theresa pursued and obtained her mediation certification in February 2022. With the ultimate goal of helping the families in my community, Theresa strives to combine her legal experience with her mediation training to best serve any person that goes through the mediation process. Se habla español.
Mediation practice areas
Family Law
Contact
Modern Legal
6715 Fairview Rd, Suite 110, Charlotte, NC 28210
704.286.6302
[email protected]
Schedule >>
Salim Uqdah has been a Dispute Resolution Professional for over four years. Over the years, Salim has taken an integrative approach to dispute resolution by using his experience as a Certified Divorce Coach, Collaborative Law Neutral Facilitator, FINRA Securities Arbitrator, and much more. Salim’s notable achievements are creating an eviction diversion system during the pandemic that kept countless families in their homes, being the most used mediator at the NC Office of State Human Resources and conducting over 100 mediations in various cases, especially in LGBT+ disputes. Salim aims to expand his skillset to help families, businesses, and industries to be a genuine Swiss Army Knife for dispute resolution. He hopes his work will help usher in more knowledge, awareness, and comfort for the public and practitioners to not think of mediation as an alternative, but as the standard practice.
Mediation practice areas
Family Disputes, Business Disputes, Estate Disputes, Employment Disputes & Leasing Disputes
Contact
Miles Mediation & Arbitration
6101 Carnegie Blvd, Ste 450
Charlotte, NC 28209
704.879.1519
[email protected]
https://milesmediation.com/neutrals/salim-uqdah/
Spanish-speaking mediators
Joseph R. Baznik moved to North Carolina and passed the February 2007 Bar exam. He now practices in the Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury sections. He is licensed to practice law in the State of North Carolina and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Joe is also a member of the American Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association (Young Lawyers Division), the Mecklenburg and Wake County Bar Associations, and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (Workers’ Compensation and Auto-Torts sections). Joe is also certified as a Superior Court Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. In 2017 Joe achieved Advocate status with the North Carolina Trial Association through their Educational Achievement Program where he completing over 20 hours of continuing legal education during the association’s fiscal year 2016-2017.
Mediation practice areas
Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury
Contact
Joe Baznik
Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks
Background
Elisa Jarrin was licensed to practice law in North Carolina in 2014. Since that time, Elisa has practiced in Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Polk Counties in Western North Carolina. In 2018, Elisa established her own firm, Jarrin Law PLLC. Most of Elisa’s practice has been dedicated to family law, however, she does represent clients in the areas of guardianships, adoptions, name changes, estate planning, business planning, criminal law and other civil litigation. Certifications include: Certified Family Financial Mediator, October 2021; Collaborative Law Practitioner, 2015; Parenting Coordinator, 2019.
Mediation practice areas
Family law, estate disputes, business law
Contact
Jarrin Law PLLC
140 Third Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC 28792
828-693-5824
[email protected]
Gabriel F. Jimenez has over 25 years of experience litigating workers’ compensation, negligence & construction cases. “Gabe” began his career representing insurance companies and self-insured businesses & later opened his own law office representing injured parties.
Gabe has spent time working together with a diverse group of attorneys across our State, including a 3-year term on the Board of Governors of the N.C. Bar Association; Member of the N.C. Equal Access to Justice Commission (2017-22); served on various committees of the Wake County Bar & teaching at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Law as an Adjunct Professor. This background of collaborating with other attorneys combined with the litigation experience lends itself to the mediation process.
Gabe is fluent in Spanish and has found it helpful to establish a rapport with Spanish speaking parties. This tends to increase everyone’s comfort level with the process and a more productive mediation.
Mediation practice areas
Workers’ Compensation, Construction Litigation, Personal Injury & General Civil Litigation
Contact
Jimenez Law Offices, PLLC
8801 Fast Park Drive, Suite 301
Raleigh, NC 27617
919-907-1700
[email protected]
Mediation Availability
James Young, Esq., is a fully bilingual (English-Spanish) mediator and arbitrator with Miles in Charlotte. His broad range of experience includes breach of contract, defamation, personal injury, workers’ compensation, and estate matters. He is a Certified Superior Court Mediator and has experience mediating a range of cases including, but not limited to, guardianships and Medicaid planning, special needs estate planning, breach of contract, defamation, personal injury, workers’ compensation, and estate matters. He also has extensive arbitration experience in the areas of personal injury, landlord/tenant issues, and contractual disputes.
Mediation practice areas
Guardianships and Medicaid planning, special needs estate planning, breach of contract, defamation, personal injury, workers’ compensation, estate matters
Contact
Miles Mediation and Arbitration
6101 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 450, Charlotte, NC 28209
[email protected]
888-395-3553
Schedule >>