Michael Wilk

Michael S. Wilk joined Hirsch & Westheimer, PC immediately after graduating with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. in 1966, where he was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review. Until 2012, he was a shareholder, director and officer of the firm and served as president from 1992 to 2012. During his career, he has assisted clients th the overall structure and supervision of business transactions, frequently representing buyers and sellers of businesses and commercial real estate. In recent years, he has represented clients in contested civil litigation addressing issues of contract, real estate, partnerships and corporations, banking, common-law fraud, contested wills, breach of fiduciary duty, bankruptcy, and creditors' rights. He has successfully defended financial institutions in lawsuits involving claims of breach of good faith and fair dealing, usury, anti-trust, lender liability, and family trust mismanagement.

Since 1991, he has focused on Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has also acted as mediator or arbitrator in hundreds of cases involving complex commercial and business disputes. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as arbitration, mediation, and future ADR trends. He has published numerous articles on Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures. As an arbitrator and mediator, Mr. Wilk is a member of the American ArbitrationAssociation Panel of Neutrals/Large Complex Commercial Cases; CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (Panel of Distinguished Neutrals) and the American Health Lawyers Association Panel of Neutrals (Arbitration and Mediation). He was chairman of the ADR Section for the State Bar of Texas for 2005-2006. He has also served as a Director and National President of the Association of Attorney Mediators; Director of the Harris County Dispute Resolution Center; Chairman of Peer Mediations and Schools Task Force for the Houston Bar Association and the Houston Bar Association ADR Section.  In 2012, Michael withdrew as a shareholder limited his practice to mediation and arbitration.  In July 2020, he resigned from the firm and continue his ADR practice on his own.

Mr. Wilk has been recognized in the Texas Monthly's annual publication, Texas Super Lawyers for ADR, from 2003 through 2020.

• University of Texas (BA. 1964)
• University of Texas School of Law (J.D. with honors, 1966); Editor of Texas Law Review 1965)

ADR TRAINING:

• Yearly training by Association of Attorney Mediators, the State Bar of Texas ADR Section and Texas Mediator Credentialing Association;
• Negotiation Workshop, Harvard Law School 1993;
• Advanced Mediation Training, Attorney-Mediator s Institute, Dallas - 1992;
• Basic Mediation Training, Attorney-Mediator s Institute, Dallas 1990.

• College of Commercial Arbitrators (Fellow);
• Texas Mediator Credentialing Association (Credentialed Distinguished Mediator);
• State Bar of Texas (Past Chair Alternative Dispute Resolution Section);
• Association of Attorney Mediators, Inc. (Director-National; President-National 1996);
• State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee (Member and Past Chairman 4B);
• Harris County Dispute Resolution Center (Director, Pro Bono arbitrator, mediator, moderated settlement conference panelist);
• Houston Bar Association (Chairman Peer Mediation in Schools Task Force 1993-1994);
• Houston Bar Association (Past Council Member Alternative Dispute Resolution Section);
• American Bar Association (Alternative Dispute Resolution Section);
• Texas Bar Foundation Fellow;
• Houston Bar Foundation Fellow;
• International Mediator Institute - Certification.

Mediation:
Half Day - $1,000.00 per party
Full Day - Up to 3 parties, $2,000.00 per party; 3 or more parties, $1,750.00 per party

Arbitration:
Study Time/Services in Connection With the Case - $550.00 per hour
Hearing Days - $4,000.00 per day