PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Elaine Block, Attorney/Mediator/Arbitrator, September 1996 – Present, Full time Mediator and Arbitrator

Elaine Block, Attorney at Law, March, 1991 – September, 1996;
Mediation, arbitration, civil trial work, commercial litigation, insurance coverage, pharmaceutical and medical malpractice plaintiff and defense.

Callaway & Block, 1986-1992.
Litigation, including general business, medical malpractice, toxic torts, personal injury, insurance coverage

Mayor, Day & Caldwell, 1985-86.
Litigation in a 60-lawyer, general practice firm, including general business, medical malpractice defense.

Baker & Botts, 1978-85.
Litigation in a 300-lawyer firm, including personal injury defense, medical malpractice, and business cases- banking, oil and gas, proxy solicitations, tender offers, securities fraud, and class actions.

EDUCATION:

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER, J.D. Summa cum laude, 1978.
Class Rank:  First
Editor, Houston Law Review.
Outstanding Comment Award 1978, State Bar of Texas, Banking Section.
Academic Achievement Award 1978, Highest Grade Average.
Order of the Barons.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, Bachelor of Science 1972.

ADMISSIONS:

State Bar of Texas, 1978.
United States District Courts, Southern District of Texas.
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Member, American Arbitration Association, Commercial and Consumer panels
Co-Chair, Texas Attorney Mediators Coalition, 2013 – 2016
Director, Texas Attorney Mediators Coalition, 2014 –2016
Association of Attorney Mediators, 1992 – Present
Director, Association of Attorney Mediators, 1997 – 1999
Adjunct Professor, University of Houston Law Center, Business Litigation.
Member, State Bar of Texas, District 4B Grievance Committee, 1985-88.
Speaker for Continuing Legal Education, Houston Bar Association, South Texas College of Law, Association of Attorney Mediators, and TTLA, TADC in business litigation, damages, and mediation
Houston Volunteer Lawyers

MEDIATION TRAINING/EXPERIENCE:

Attorney Mediators Institute, Inc., Dallas, Feb. 1991
Advanced Mediator Training, Houston, January 1993
Advanced Mediator Training, San Antonio, June 1996
Negotiation Strategy for Lawyers, 2000
Mediation for Litigators, 2002
Advanced Family Law Mediation, A.A. White Institute, June 2007
Mediated approximately 6000 cases
Trained in online mediation and available for same, March 2020

ARBITRATION TRAINING/EXPERIENCE:

AAA Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New AAA Arbitrators, 2016
AAA Arbitration Awards; Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards (ACE001), 2016
Arbitrated approximately 575 cases
Representative Arbitrations:
Breach of maritime transportation agreement between U.S. manufacturing company and Dutch company
Dispute  between  provider of computer and maintenance and support systems and purchaser of such systems.
Breach of multimillion dollar construction contract for multiple warehouses between owner and general contractor
Fraud and breach of contract involving development and sale of two condominium projects
Breach of agreements involving acquisition of a working interest in a large Louisiana oil and gas lease and agreement to “broker” further acquisitions
Suit by subdivision against natural gas pipeline company for damages and removal/relocation of pipeline
Suit to recover investment in Collateralized Mortgage Obligations against investment advisor
Breach of contract, fraud, DTPA claims by multiple condominium purchasers against high rise condominium owner
Breach of limited partnership agreement involving real estate development project
Breach of contract, fraud in connection with medical practice purchase and sales agreement
Claim for breach of a Client Services Agreement in electrical services area
Breach of long term commercial lease agreement with counterclaims for fraud and constructive eviction
Insurance coverage dispute involving interpretation and applicability of a pollution exclusion
Insurance coverage claim by large exploration and production company against its carrier
Suits by executives against former employers for breach of employment contract
Age, sex, race, discrimination suits/ retaliation claims