Miami Florida Mediator

Patrick Russell is a Miami Florida mediator with Salmon & Dulberg Dispute Resolution. Patrick has been certified as a Florida Supreme Court Civil Circuit Mediator since 2009 and is the former Chair for the ADR Section of The Florida Bar (2021-2022).

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MEDIATION MATTERS:

Business disputes, commercial litigation, condominium and homeowner associations, construction law, insurance claims and coverage, personal injury, premises liability, and real estate.

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LEGAL EXPERIENCE:

Patrick's diverse legal experience as a lawyer on both sides can help focus the mediation on the issues that matter most and make the process more efficient.

 

Past Plaintiff Experience:
Early in his career, Patrick spent nearly two decades managing his own law firm. Significant experience gained in legal matters involving commercial litigation, contracts, first-party insurance claims, homeowner associations and condominiums, personal injury, and real estate law. Patrick appreciates the demands that lawyers face when trying to manage a busy schedule while producing excellent work and results, all while managing clients' expectations.
 

Past Defense Experience:

Prior to mediating full-time, Patrick was a Trial Partner with Lydecker | Diaz. During this time, Patrick was responsible for the defense of high-exposure personal injury and premises liability claims. As lead trial counsel, Patrick was responsible for assessing risk, developing a trial strategy, retaining and working with experts, and engaging in regular high-level communication with adjusters. Based on this experience, Patrick understands how insurance companies assess risk and what adjusters need in order to evaluate and resolve claims.

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Past In-House Counsel Experience:

Patrick's first legal position was as a general counsel for a national corporation. Served as lead counsel for all collection efforts while addressing any needed corporate legal and compliance matters. In this position, Patrick developed an awareness of the unique perspective and needs of a business in relation to litigation and resolving legal claims.

 

Past Ethics Experience:

Patrick was honored to serve as an ethics trial lawyer for The Florida Bar. Managed multiple grievance committees on behalf of The Florida Bar and handled ethics trials as well as appeals with the Florida Supreme Court. Patrick believes that ethics and professionalism are a choice, and that the entire legal system is elevated for all, including lawyers themselves, when lawyers maintain the highest level of ethics and professionalism. 
 

MEDIATION PHILOSOPHY:

Patrick's mediation philosophy is that mediation is all about problem-solving. Patrick uses an integrated approach to problem-solving by fostering an environment that promotes meaningful discussions between the parties. Patrick seeks to build an environment of respect and trust in order to encourage the sharing of information between the parties. Through the sharing of information, the parties are more likely to focus on solutions rather than positions, which can lead to collaboration and joint problem-solving. When parties mindfully listen, speak and act during mediation, they can better understand one another, trust one another, and are in a better position to resolve their differences.

EDUCATION:
University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1993
Marquette University, Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, 1990

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

• Member, The Florida Bar

• Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator (since 2009)

• Florida Supreme Court Certified County Mediator (since 2021)

• WIND Certified Umpire for the appraisal of insurance claims (2021-2024)

• Court Appointed Arbitrator Training pursuant to Fla R. Arb. 11.020

• Immediate Past Chair: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2022)

• Chair: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2021)

• Chair-Elect: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2020)

• Secretary: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2019)

• Executive Council: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2019 – present)

• Chair of the Health & Wellness Committee: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2018 – present)

• Member, The Florida Bar Alternative Resolution Section

• Member, The Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section

• Member, Florida Bar Government Advocacy Committee (2022-2027)

• Vice-Chair, Miami Dade Bar ADR/Arbitration Committee (2024-present)

• Florida Academy of Professional Mediators

• Member, Windstorm Insurance Network

• Director for the Making History Project, a nonprofit oral history project that preserves the experiences of combat veterans and studies the impact that combat trauma can have on military service members.

• Former Member, Florida Grievance Committee, 11th Circuit

• Former Partner, Lydecker | Diaz

• Former Ethics Trial Lawyer, The Florida Bar

• Founding Lawyer, Russell | Law

 

RECENT PRESENTATIONS/PUBLICATIONS:

• "Idle Chat with Natalie Armstrong-Motin", American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, December 2024.

• "What is Going On In the Other Room? What You Need to Know and Plan for in a First-Party Mediation Case - Revisited", Windstorm Insurance Network, November 2024.

• "Top Ten Things Not to Do at Mediation", Florida Lawyers Network, August 2024.

• "What is Going On In the Other Room? What You Need to Know and Plan for in a First-Party Mediation Case" Windstorm 2024 Conference, January 2024.

• "Blueprint for Success: Ethically Mediating First Party Property Insurance Disputes", The Florida Bar ADR Section, September 2023.

• "Mediation: Holding the Calm, the Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension", The Florida Bar ADR Section, September 2023.

• "Mindfulness in Mediation", Mediation Mentoring Academy by the ADR Section of The Florida Bar, February 2023.

• "Mediation Pro Tips: Negotiation Hacks for Overcoming the Impossible", Windstorm 2023 Conference, January 2023.

• "The Business of People: Using Mindfulness to Resolve Internal and External Conflicts", The Florida Bar ADR Section, November 2022. 

• "Mindful Negotiation Techniques for More Effective and Ethical Mediations", Walton Lantaff, May 2022.

• "Mindful Negotiation Techniques for More Effective and Ethical Mediations", Becker Poliakoff, May 2022.

• "Meaningful Interactions - Mindful Communications and Negotiations", Miami MENSA, March 2022.

• "Mindful Negotiation Techniques for More Effective and Ethical Mediations", Miami Dade Bar, February 2022.

• "Mindful Negotiation Techniques", Effective Mediation Consultants, January 2022.

• "Mindful Negotiation Techniques for More Effective and Ethical Mediations", Lydecker | Diaz, December 2021.

• "Meaningful Mediation: Ethical, Mindful, Strategic", Solo and Small Firm Section of The Florida Bar, November 2021.

• "Mindfulness Mediation Techniques - Getting to We", Florida Dispute Resolution Center Annual Conference, August 2021.

• "#ProTip Tuesday", The Florida Bar - Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism, June 2021.

• "Mindful Mediation", Broward County Bar Association, May 2021.

• "How to Be Better at...The Power of Health and Wellness", The Common Ground, The Florida Bar ADR Section, Spring 2021.

• “Ethically Advocating for Your Client at Mediation”, ADR Section of The Florida Bar, The Florida Bar Annual Convention, June 2020.

• “Mindfulness Negotiation Techniques – Getting to We”, Collaborative Family Law Institute, Coral Gables, Florida, November 2019.

• “Law and Ethics Update for Insurance Adjusters”, York Risk, Boca Raton, Florida, June 2019.

• "Technology Competence and Legal Ethics", Legal Malpractice and Professional Liability Roundtable, University of Miami School of Law Center for Ethics and Public Service, Coral Gables, Florida, April 2019.

• “Mediation Skills and Ethical Advocacy for Trial Lawyers”, The Florida Bar, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Live Webinar, August 2018.

• “Technology Ethics”, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Litigation and Advocacy Leader Conference, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, July 2018

• “From Hello to Goodbye, Legal Malpractice and Professional Liability Roundtable”, University of Miami School of Law Center for Ethics and Public Service, Coral Gables, Florida, May 2018.

• “How to Avoid a Bar Complaint”, Meland Russin & Budwick, Miami, Florida, April 2018.

• “Ethical Implications of Social Media and Technology”, ABA Entertainment Law Symposium, Miami Beach, Florida, April 2018.

• “How to Avoid a Bar Complaint and (Gasp!) What to Do if You Get One”, GALLA Luncheon, Miami, Florida, March 2018.

• “Professionalism and Ethics”, Professional Responsibility & Ethics Program, University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida, January 2018.

• “Mediation and Lawyer Ethics”, Advanced Mediation Training 8.0 Hour CME, Effective Mediation Consultants, Miami, Florida, December 2017.

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