Eric Galton

Lakeside Mediation Center
3825 Lake Austin Boulevard, Suite 403
Austin, Texas 78703
(512) 477-9300
fax (512) 477-9302
www.LakesideMediation.com
eric@lakesidemediation.com

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Eric Galton is considered by many to be a pioneer and defining force in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Since 1989 he has mediated over forty four hundred cases, employing a variety of mediation styles, and consistently maintains a 91% settlement rate. Mr. Galton is highly versatile; he mediates disputes ranging from a half day to two weeks in length, in cities all over Texas and elsewhere in the country, involving anywhere from two to 125 parties from a broad spectrum of ethnic, socioeconomic, political, and business backgrounds. He mediates disputes in over 17 areas of law. In addition to his wealth of practical experience, Eric Galton inspires and motivates participants through his uncompromising ethics, incisiveness, compassion, and genuine love of the mediation process.  Eric was listed as a Texas Super Lawyer in 2006 and 2007 by Texas Monthly Magazine and was one of five mediators listed in the Texas Lawyer Go-to-Guide in 2007.  Eric is both a fellow and Governor of the International Academy of Mediators.

Education
Earned an Undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1973, Magna Cum Laude With Distinction in History.

Earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law in 1976, and was the recipient of the Perry L. Jones Memorial Award.

Licenses and Certifications
Licensed to practice law by the State Bar of Texas in November 1976.
Certified to practice law in the United States District Court, Western District of Texas in June 1988.
Training certificate from the Academy of Attorney Mediators in 1989.
Training certificate from the A.A. White Institute in 1990.
Training certificate from the Advanced Mediation Training Seminar of the State Bar of Texas, 1994.

Work History
Eric Galton practiced law from 1976-1985 with Hancock, Piedfort, Galton & McGill. From 1985-1997, Eric Galton was a shareholder at Wright & Greenhill. Eric became a partner with the firm of Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody in 1997 until leaving the firm to establish Galton, Cunningham & Bourgeois, P.L.L.C.

Prior to becoming a full time mediator, Eric Galton was a litigator in the areas of personal injury, commercial, and consumer litigation. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants and handled in excess of 80 trials before the court and more than 40 jury trials.

Areas of Mediation Experience
Mr. Galton has mediated disputes in all of the following areas: medical negligence, construction disputes, intellectual property disputes, legal malpractice, employment disputes, personal injury, environmental disputes, products liability, consumer disputes, Deceptive Trade Practice Act disputes, labor disputes, race/sex/age discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act disputes, family law, suits involving government entities, international commercial disputes, and oil & gas disputes.

Mediation Locations
Eric Galton mediates throughout Texas and elsewhere in the United States. The following is a partial list of cities where Eric has mediated disputes: Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Brownsville, Temple, McAllen, Edinburgh, Weslaco, Laredo, Beaumont, Las Vegas, and Chicago, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Washington DC, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Seattle, and Denver.

International Experience
Mr. Galton has experience conducting mediations of international business disputes which have involved representatives from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Italy, South Korea, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Denmark and France.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Group Memberships
State Bar of Texas ADR Section
Travis County Bar ADR Section
International Academy of Mediators, Board of Governors
ABA Section on Dispute Resolution
Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution
Texas Association of Mediators (Director, 1997-1999)
President and Founder, Austin Mediators’ Society

Teaching and Training
Mr. Galton has extensive experience teaching mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Eric has trained or lectured to mediators for the Academy of Attorney Mediators, the A. A. White Institute, the State Bar of Texas, The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University, and the American Bar Association. Eric has trained over 1500 mediators in both basic and advanced trainings.  He has taught mediation as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law from 1996 to 2003, and was a peer mediator instructor for the Austin Independent School District at Mendez Middle School and Lanier High School from 1992-1996.  Eric is currently an adjunct faculty member at Pepperdine School of Law and Lipscomb University. In addition, Eric Galton served as a lecturer for the following Continuing Legal Education courses:

For the State Bar of Texas

Advanced Civil Trial
Advanced ADR
Advanced Personal Injury
Advanced Employment Law
Suing and Defending Government Entities
Advanced Family Law
Consumer Law
Advanced Real Estate Law
Advanced Oil and Gas Law
Mediation Advocacy, Mediation, and Arbitration Webcasts
For the University of Texas School of Law
Resolving Commercial Disputes Without Trial
Products Liability
For the South Texas College of Law
Advanced Personal Injury
Family Law
For the Baylor College of Law
ADR Course
For Capital Law School
ADR Medical Malpractice Symposium
For the American Bar Association
Advanced ADR Symposiums, 1996-present
Course Director for State Bar of Texas Advanced ADR Course, 1994

Publications and Articles
Mr. Galton has published an article for each of the CLE courses listed above. Eric Galton has authored three books; Mediation: A Texas Practice Guide(1993), and Representing Clients in Mediation (1994), which are considered definitive reference books on mediation for the legal profession, and are currently required reading in law schools throughout the United States. Mediation: A TexasPractice Guide garnered the 1994 CPR Annual Book Award, and has been translated into French and Italian for distribution in Europe and will be coauthored with Avi Schneelbalg, a Belgian attorney and mediator.  Italian, French, and Canadian editions were published since 2005. Eric’s also co-edited the ABA’s ADRPersonalities and Practice Guide (1998), a collaboration with colleague Jim Alfini. Eric’s most recent book is Ripples from Peace Lake: Essays for Mediators and Peacemakers (Trafford 2004). Other Articles include:

Mediation Programs for Collegiate Sports Teams
Problem Areas in Alternative Dispute Resolution: A Practitioner’s List of Dos and Do Nots (with Professor Kim Kovach)
Through a Crystal Ball Darkly - The Untimely Death of Mediation
Things That Lawyers Do Best and Worst in Mediation(transcript excerpt from ABA Symposium)
A More Facilitative Mediation Approach in Governmental Entity Cases
Fitting the Food to the Fuss: A Dietary Guide for Dispute Resolution
The Mediator Parent Trap
Mediators and Stress: Caring for the Caretakers
The Most Personal of Injuries
Keeping the Peace: The Mendez Peer Mediators
The Ultimate Question: Why Mediate?
The Use of Experts at Mediation
The Development of the AISD Peer Mediation Program
Alternative Dispute Resolution Part of Civil Justice Revolution
The Preventable Death of Mediation

Awards and Achievements
1978-1979
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation

1980-1984
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation for Citizens’ Legal Education Committee work

1981
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation

1982
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation

1983
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation
Austin Young Lawyers Association Outstanding Young Lawyer

1983-1984
Texas Young Lawyers Association Presidential Award

1984
State Bar of Texas Special Award for Outstanding Service to the Public

1987
State Bar of Texas Service Award
Austin Young Lawyers Association Special Recognition for maintaining Austin Lawyers for Hunger Relief
Capital Area Food Bank Certificate of Appreciation for Austin Lawyers for Hunger Relief

1987-1988
Texas Young Lawyers Association President’s Award

1988
Caritas Outstanding Service Award

1991
Texas Bar Foundation Life Fellow

1992
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation (w/ Broadus Spivey)
Austin Adopt-A-School A+ Adopter of the Year Special Project Award

1994
CPR Annual Book Award

2006
Texas Super Lawyer

2007
Texas Super Lawyer
Texas Go to lawyer