Experience

Rating: 10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2026

Best Law Firms in America (D/FW)-Tier 1-- Mediation (since '10), Best Lawyers & U.S. News & World Report

2026

AV-Preeminent Rating (since '95), Martindale-Hubbell

2026

Best Lawyers in America -- ADR/Mediation (since '05), Best Lawyers

2025

Super Lawyers: Texas -- ADR (since '03), Thomson Reuters

2025

Best Lawyers in Dallas -- ADR/Mediation (since '03), D Magazine

2025

International Annual Listing of Mediators (since '17), Lexology/Who's Who Legal - Mediation (London; int'l mediator reference guide)

2025

Michael J. Leech President's Award, Assoc. of Attorney-Mediators

2018

Outstanding Credentialed Mediator for 2018, Texas Mediator Credentialing Association

2016

D/FW Lawyer of the Year -- ADR/Mediation (Prior: '10,'14), Best Lawyers in America

2013

Distinguished Alumnus Award, Denison, TX ISD Alumni Association

2012

Texas "Go-To" Lawyer for Mediation (Prior: '07), Texas Lawyers Go-To Guide (published in '07 and '12)

2009

Most Valuable Exec. MBA Professor Award, SMU Cox School of Business Executive MBA Program

1994

Steve Brutsche' (Founder's) Award, Assoc. of Attorney-Mediators

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Work Experience

1989 - Present

Mediator, Ross W. Stoddard, III, Attorney-Mediator

2002 - 2013

Adjunct Faculty (Courses: Negotiations; Global Business), Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business

1981 - 1984

Chairman, Focus Financial Consultants, Inc.

1980 - 1990

Lawyer, Ross W. Stoddard, III, Attorney & Counselor at Law

1979 - 1980

Ass't Staff Judge Advocate, San Antonio Contracting Center (DOD-USAF)

1976 - 1979

Law Clerk/Staff Attorney to the Adminstrative Judges, Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals

1975 - 1976

Lawyer, Ross W. Stoddard, III, Attorney & Counselor at Law

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Associations

2022 - Present

Union Internationale des Avocats (International Lawyers Assoc., hdqtd in Paris, France)

Co-Pres., World Forum of Mediation Centres

2008 - Present

Texas Mediator Credentialing Assoc.

Credentialed Distinguished Mediator

2000 - Present

Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism

Member/Subscriber

1998 - Present

Tarrant County Bar Foundation

Charter Sustaining Life Fellow

1997 - Present

Texas Assoc. of Mediators

Member

1995 - Present

Texas Bar Foundation

Sustaining Life Fellow

1995 - Present

Dallas Bar Foundation

Life Benefactor Fellow

1991 - Present

Assoc. of Attorney-Mediators

Member; Charter Director & Officer (formerly)

1990 - Present

College of the State Bar of Texas

Fellow

1976 - Present

Dallas Bar Assoc., ADR Section

Member

1975 - Present

State Bar of Texas, ADR Section

Member; Council (formerly)

2012 - 2014

Professional Mediation Institute

Board Member

2005 - 2015

Tarrant County Bar Assoc., ADR Section

Member

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Education

1975

University of Texas School of Law

Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor (J.D.)

1972

Southern Methodist University (School of Business)

BBA - Bachelor of Business Administration

1968

Denison, Texas I.S.D.

H.S. Diploma

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Speaking Engagements

2025

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Vienna, Austria)

Tales from the Mediation Trenches: Pearls of Wisdom Harvested from Past Mediations

2025

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Sydney, Australia)

What Do you Do When?

2025

Hellenic Union of Mediators' (Athens) Virtual Lecture Series

Top Tips for Successful Mediations

2024

World Forum of Mediation Centres (London, England)

How Mediation Successfully Became an Integral Part of the DR System in These Speakers' Countries

2024

Mediation Festival (Thessaloniki, Greece)

Tales from the Mediation Trenches -- Part 2: When 'Mediation Magic' Actually Worked--How I Pulled a Rabbit Out of the Hat!

2024

Mediation Festival (Thessaloniki, Greece)

Tales from the Mediation Trenches -- Part 1: Yikes! How I Screwed Up my Mediation! Learning from Each Other's Mistakes

2023

World Forum of Meidation Centres (Frankfurt, Germany)

The Future of Mediation: How Will the Development of AI Impact our Mediation Process

2022

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Malaga, Spain)

What's on Your Mind? Mining the Minds of Mediators from Around the Globe

2021

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Virtual)

Baby Boomer vs Millennials -- How to Mediate Multi-Generation Conflicts

2020

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Virtual)

Modron [Online Dispute Resoltuion Technology]

2020

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Milan, Italy)

Seeing the Glass as Half-Full, Not Half-Empty--Use & Impact of Mediators' Optimism During the Mediation Process

2018

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Val d Europe, France)

Admissibility of Mediation Communications in Court

2017

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Singapore, Singapore)

What is a Pound Worth? Insights from the Worldwide Global Pound Conference Series 2016-'17

2016

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Luxembourg, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg)

Mining the Minds of Mediators

2016

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Luxembourg, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg)

How Confidential is Mediation?

2015

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

What Do I Say or Do Now? Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas Confronting Mediators

2015

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Mining the Minds of Mediators

2014

World Forum of Mediation Centres (Thessaloniki, Greece)

How to Bring the Business Case to Mediation

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Publications

2000

ABA Litigation Section; "ADR: The Litigator's Handbook" Chapter 10: Use of ADR in Tort Disputes

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Languages

English

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