04/12/2022
Honored to have been profiled during Dispute Resolution Month by the Alabama State Bar. “Come, let us reason together!”
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April is Dispute Resolution Month at the Alabama State Bar. This month, we will highlight neutrals and share their stories as to what motivated them to enter the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) field, why serving as a neutral is rewarding, and their perspective on how ADR can help litigants. Today, we feature Bryan Wallace.
After returning to school in his 30s following a decade-long career in the chemical industry, Bryan went on to earn a law degree and now owns a firm in the Shoals area of Northwest Alabama that is dedicated entirely to mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Bryan spent the early part of his legal career fighting for clients in the courtroom but transitioned to a 100% mediation practice several years ago and he now focuses his efforts entirely on finding creative settlement solutions for clients all over our state. With a dozen years of ADR experience and as a registered mediator on the Alabama State Court Roster, Bryan has settlement experience in almost every type of case, including family and juvenile law, commercial litigation, workers’ compensation, probate, personal injury, appellate and federal matters. He has served on the Alabama State Bar Pro Bono Task Force Subcommittee on Access to Justice and Mediation, has served as a mediation CLE panelist, and is active in the Alabama State Bar, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, and his local bar association. In his spare time, Bryan and his wife Janie, enjoy serving in their church, spending time with family, and gardening.
What motivated Bryan to become a mediator?
After spending time as a litigator and working within an adversarial system, I decided to find a way to concentrate all of my efforts on helping people find creative, collaborative, and practical solutions to their problems outside the courtroom. I often joke that I’m not in the litigation business anymore, that instead I’m in the settlement business and as a dedicated neutral, my motivation and perspective is different than it was when I was trying cases. For me, making the transition was simple and my motivation, every single day, is knowing that when clients leave my office they have a path forward and that together we’ve built a framework that allows them to start fresh with clearly defined expectations and a plan for their new future. This leads to better co-parenting, stronger families, better companies, and hopefully fewer return trips to the courthouse in the future. I’m proud to be a part of that.
What is rewarding about serving as a mediator?
Hearing (at the conclusion of a particularly difficult, complicated, or contentious mediation) “Wow! I didn’t think there was any way that this case would settle!” As mediators, we see people on their very worst days and it wouldn’t be difficult to forget sometimes that what might be just another Thursday to us is a life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime moment for them. A moment that, with our help, they can seize, close a difficult chapter, and write that happy ending to their own story on their terms. Blessed are the peacemakers. I’m thankful for the privilege that I get to be a part of that every day. It really is the best job in the world and it never gets old.
How can ADR help litigants?
Most litigants are so surprised when they learn how much the Alternative Dispute Resolution process can help them resolve their case. “You mean there’s a grant that might pay for my mediation and help me settle my case?” Yes! “You mean we could get an agreement today that helps us finalize this?” Of course! It’s like that special armband that you can get at the amusement park that lets you to skip to the front of the line. You can either do it the adversarial way and wait around on a trial date (and all the continuances), spend more money going to trial, spend months (or more) worrying about the outcome, all while watching things continue to spiral and get worse…or, we can work together, try and resolve it, and if we do, we can get an agreement in front of the court today. Who knows your case better than you, right? ADR is really the best kept secret in the legal world but those of us who work as registered neutrals, along with the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution and its leadership are doing our very best to change that! There are so many cases that could absolutely be settled if people just had the opportunity to work with a mediator. Let’s work together to make sure our courts, judicial assistants, and colleagues know what kind of options are out there. It’s a win-win for everybody. “Come, let us reason together!”
