Michael J. Schless

Mike Schless is a Martindale-Hubbell A-V rated attorney whose practice has focused exclusively on ADR since 1992. He has mediated or arbitrated over 1,750 cases involving a broad range of topics and degrees of difficulty. He is a Distinguished Credentialed Mediator by the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association.

Mike was the co-founder of the Austin Bar Association's ADR Section and has served as a leader in every statewide ADR association in Texas. Mike is on the faculty of Switerland's University of St. Gallen's Executive Masters of European and International Business Law Program, and teaches mediation in that program annually in Luxembourg.

Named a "Texas Super Lawyer five times since 2005, Mike is also the 2006 recipient of the Justice Frank G. Evans Award of the State Bar of Texas ADR Section, and the 2003 recipient of the Susanne C. Adams Award of the Texas Association of Mediators.

Prior to his career as an ADR professional, Mike served as Judge of the County Court at Law, No. 3 in Travis County from 1982-1992. Prior to that time, Mike was a trial lawyer in Austin, and in 1982 he was honored as the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Travis County in 1982.

In 2012 Texas Lawyer Magazine named Mike one of 4 "top-notch" lawyers, and one of only 5 finalists for the honor of being named the "Go-To" lawyer in Texas for arbitration and mediation.

• The University of Texas School of Law: Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1973
• The University of Texas at Austin: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, 1970

ADR TRAINING:

• American Academy of Attorney Mediators: 40 hour training
• Dispute Resolution Center of Travis County: 40 hour training
• A.A. White Institute: 24 hour family mediation training
• American Arbitration Association: Commercial Arbitration Training; Arbitrator II training
• Pepperdine University Law School: Negotiation and Settlement Advocacy for Lawyers
• Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, University of Texas School of Law: Fellows Training
• Bill Potapchuk: Public Policy Dispute Resolution Training
  
  

• Association of Attorney- Mediators: President 2010-2011; President-elect 2009-2010; Treasurer 2008-2009; Member, 1996-present
• Texas Mediator Credentialing Association: AAM representative on Board of Directors, 2004-present; Vice-Chair 2010
• State Bar of Texas: ADR Section: Immediate Past Chair, 2004-2005; Chair, 2003-2004; Chair-elect, 2002-2003; Treasurer, 2000-2002; Council Member, 1999-2005; Member, 1992-present
  Judicial Section: Member, 1982-1992
• Texas Bar Foundation: Life Fellow
• Texas Association of Mediators: President, 1995-1996; Board of Directors, 1993-1997; Member, 1993-present
• International Academy of Mediators: Fellow, 2004-present
• Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Court-Annexed Mediation: Member, 1996-2005
• Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, University of Texas School of Law: Fellow, 1994-present
• American Arbitration Association: Member of the Panel of Neutrals, 1995-present
• Dalkon Shield Arbitration Program: Member of the Panel of Arbitrators, 1992-2003
• Dssn. for Conflict Resolution (formerly Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution): Member, 1992-present
• Travis County Bar Association: ADR Section: Founding Co-chair, 1992-1993; Member, 1993-present
• ADR and Settlement Week Committees: Member, 1988-1992 - Board of Directors: Member, 1979-1982
• Austin Young Lawyers Association: President, 1979-1980; Board of Directors, 1975-1981; Life Fellow
• Austin Lawyers Care: Charter Member of the Board of Directors, 1981-1987

Please contact the office for fee information.