Martin B. Leewright

Attorney Martin B. Leewright

Attorney Martin B. Leewright

Martin “Marty” B. Leewright is a Mediator, Litigation Attorney, Arbitrator and with degrees in Psychology and Sociology, extensive experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Arbitration, Litigation, Negotiation, Settlement, Criminal Prosecution; University Teaching and State Bar, Speaking, Authorship, Community, Educational and State Bar Leadership. Appointed 2011-2013, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice to Task Force to write new Rules of Civil Procedure for the 800+ Courts; Honored by the Texas Supreme Court 2012 for “serving with distinction”. Special Award received from the Texas Justice Court Judges Association in 2015.

Professional Licenses

  • Court-approved Certified Mediator (first 50-hr mediation training in 1984);
  • Advanced Mediator Certificate;
  • Advanced Arbitrator Certificate.
  • Intermediate Collaborative Law Certificate.
  • Licensed to practice law in United States Supreme Court, U.S. Federal District Courts of Texas and all State Courts in Texas.
  • Also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Washington, D.C.

Professional Experience

2008–Present, Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator; Of Counsel, Bob Leonard Law Group, PLLC, Fort Worth, general civil law practice including highly-contested family law cases, numerous landlord-tenant cases and appeals, Justice Court – County Court – District Court litigation, vehicle collisions, consumer, contract, insurance, torts, civil litigation plaintiff and defense, etc. Representing landlords and tenants. Also Mediation and Arbitration; invited Mediator in In-Court Mediation Program, Tarrant County. Adjunct Professor of Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Juvenile Justice, Texas Christian University; Frequent Guest Speaker for Texas Justice Court Judges Association (12 Procedure and Legal Seminars 2011-2015); also guest speaker Texas A&M University School of Law, University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University. Arbitrator for Attorney-Client Fee Arbitration cases for Tarrant County Bar Association. Previous referral

attorney for Texas Apartment Association; authored numerous articles on Landlord-Tenant legal issues.


2005-2007, Mediator & Attorney, Private general Mediation and Law Practice, of counsel to various firms, defense and prosecution of lawsuits in State and Federal Court,

reparation for litigation, arbitration; mediation, negotiation and settlement of various legal disputes. Counseled clients on legal issues. Statutory Mediation Trainer, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and Texas Woman’s University.


2001-2005, Litigation Attorney, Erskine & McMahon, LLP, Longview & Marshall, Texas, prosecution and defense of lawsuits, tried numerous jury trials to successful jury verdicts, many in excess of previously demanded policy limits; represented numerous clients in mediation, depositions, litigation; negotiated and settled numerous lawsuits involving torts, employment, premises, injury, wrongful death, insurance, premises liability, contract, consumer, etc., numerous appearances in State and Federal courts. Handled substantial litigation cases, involving more than one million dollars.


1990-2000, Legal Advisor for Students, University of North Texas, Attorney and Mediator, advised and counseled on higher education legal matters, litigation; prosecution and defense of lawsuits; served on numerous leadership committees of a major university such as Sexual Harassment, Diversity, Dean Selection, FERPA, Campus Crime Reporting, ADA, etc. Instrumental in developing a university-wide Alternative Dispute Resolution Program (serving approximately 35,000 faculty, staff and students), Director, Pilot Mediation Program; mediated hundreds of disputes to efficient, amicable resolution; spoke to constituent groups regarding mediation and effective dispute resolution, negotiated with criminal prosecutors to avoid student/staff criminal records; published numerous legal articles, research; conducted statutory Mediation Trainer; authored numerous self-help legal booklets and an award winning legal services website; taught legal subjects including Personal Law, Business Law and Higher Education Law.


1987-1990, Attorney, Law Offices of Don R. Windle (Hon. Don R. Windle), Denton, Texas, prosecution and defense of lawsuits, mediation, general civil litigation, wrongful death, premises liability, and personal injury; firm merged with Hammerle & Associates, Denton and Lewisville, Texas.


1985-1987, Attorney and Criminal Prosecutor, Commissioned by the State of Texas, Williamson County, Texas, criminal prosecution of offenses against the peace and dignity of the State of Texas including juvenile prosecution, also represented Texas Department of Child Protective Services; special assignment as a Special Investigator, Texas House Appropriations Committee, of the Texas Legislature.

Education

Doctor of Jurisprudence, Texas Tech University School of Law (1985)

Master of Arts, in Legal Studies, Magna Cum Laude, University of North Texas (1982)

Bachelor of Arts, Sociology and Psychology, University of North Texas (1980)

All coursework completed Ph.D. in Higher Education (ABD), University of N. Texas (1992-99)

Military Service & Experience

U.S. Army Combat Engineer, two tours of combat service in Vietnam and Cambodia; National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Campaign & Combat medals; Agent Orange Vietnam Veterans Registry; Also U.S. Army Reserves and Texas Reserves, served in underground Federal Intelligence & Communications facility, Top-Secret U.S. Security Clearance, Honorable Discharge. Awarded seven military medals.

Mediation, Litigation, Collaborative Law Training

  • Basic & Advanced Court-Annexed Mediator Training, Advanced Family Law Mediation Training 1989
  • Basic & Advanced Arbitrator Training, American Arbitration Association- 1992
  • Basic and Intermediate Collaborative Law Training (Chip Rose) 2008
  • Mediation/ADR Trainer and numerous SBPT, TAM, SPIDR & SBOT ADR Seminars 1989-
  • Psychodrama & Advanced Psychodrama Training, National Psychodrama Training Center 1995-2004
  • Resolving Disputes without Litigation, Advanced Negotiation Strategies & Tactics 1996
  • Sexual Harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Multicultural Diversity Training 1994-1998
  • Graduate, national Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming 1995
  • Graduate, Advanced Graduate Course in Trial Advocacy, Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming 1996
  • Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, University of Texas School of Law 1989
  • Federal Civil Law Practice Seminars 2000-2005

Awards & Honors

  • Texas Justice Court Judges Association special award (for service and training contributions) 2011-2018
  • Texas Supreme Court Award for “serving with distinction” on Justice Court Rules Task Force 2011-13
  • University of North Texas, Star Award for Special Achievement, for “Consistent Exceptional Service”
  • Texas Tech University School of Law, “Humanitarian Award”
  • Judge Meade F. Griffin Award, for “Professionalism”
  • “Most Outstanding Student Legal Services Office” Southwestern United States (30 Universities)
  • Selected (one of 50 lawyers in U.S. annually) to attend national intensive Trial Lawyers College 1995-96
  • Elected to Council, ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution Section), State Bar of Texas 1994-1998
  • Appointed to State Bar of Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on ADR 1996-1998
  • Editor, “Dispute Resolution Texas Style”, official ADR publication of State Bar of Texas 1997, revised 2006
  • Member, College of State Bar of Texas 1994-on, named a Fellow 2004

Community Service & Committee Activities

  • Assistant Children’s Supervisor, Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF)
  • Sunday School Teacher and Peacemaking Course, Arborlawn United Methodist Church, Ft Worth, TX
  • Appointed, Supreme Court Task Force redrafting Court Rules for Texas Justice Courts 2012-2013
  • Officer, ADR Section (Mediation), Tarrant County Bar Association 2007-2012
  • Member, Arbitration Panel, Tarrant County Bar Association Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Program 2011-
  • Member, Collaborative Law Institute of Texas 2008-
  • Volunteer Mediator, Public Dispute Resolution Centers, Tarrant and Denton Counties 1989-
  • Charter Member, Tarrant County Association of Mediators (TCAM), Fort Worth, Texas 1992-
  • Board Member, Tarrant County Association of Mediators (TCAM), Fort Worth, Texas 2008-2010
  • Elected , ADR Council State Bar of Texas, Publications Chair, Arbitration, CLE, Planning C’tees 1994-1998
  • Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on ADR 1996-1998
  • Member, Task Forces, ADR & ADA, Federal Campus Crime Reporting C’tee, Univ. of N. Texas 1990-2000
  • Advisory Board Member, North Central Texas College, Paralegal Program 1990-2000
  • Pro-Bono Attorney, Martin Luther King Legal Clinic & West Texas Legal Services 1990-2000
  • Founder, Texas Tech University School of Law “Freedom Scholarship” (Endowed) 1984-
  • Advisory Council, University of North Texas College of Music 1990-2000
  • Past Co-Chair, Denton County Settlement Week Committee 1992-1996
  • Editor, The Denton County Lawyer 1994-1998
  • Member, Tarrant, Denton and Dallas County Bar Associations
  • Member, Tarrant County Family Bar Association

Publications

(partial list, total over one hundred)

  • Wrote the Chapter on “In-Court Mediation Programs” for the official Texas ADR Handbook, 2016.
  • More than 25 articles published regarding Landlord Tenant legal issues for the TAA affiliate, 1400+ member Apartment Association of Tarrant County’s monthly publication “Dimensions” (AATC)
  • Leewright, Marty B., Dispute Resolution Texas Style, 2nd edition. Edited official ADR Brochure, published by the State Bar of Texas (ADR Section), funded by the Texas Bar Foundation and distributed to the public, courts and lawyers statewide, 1997, Revised 2006, 20 pages.
  • Leewright, Marty B., Pointing Up to Excellence in ADR. The Texas Lawyer Mediation Magazine, March 4, 1996, p 20-22.
  • Leewright, Marty B., Are you a Qualified Mediator? Alternative Resolutions, official publication of the State Bar of Texas, Vol. 3, No. 2, Winter 1994, P. 13.
  • Leewright, Marty B., Alternative Dispute Resolution in District and County Courts at Law: A Qualitative Research Study. (Part 1.) Published in Alternative Resolutions, State Bar of TX, Vol. 3, No. 1, Fall 1993, p. 4-5, 21-22.
  • Leewright, Marty B., Alternative Dispute Resolution in District and County Courts at Law: A Qualitative Research Study. (Part 2.) Research published in Alternative Resolutions, State Bar of Texas, Vol. 3, No. 2, Winter 1994, p. 6-7, 22-23. (Complete Research Study is 70 pages.)
  • Leewright, Marty B., Time to Consider Board Certification in ADR. Alternative Resolutions, State Bar of Texas, Vol. 4, No. 2, Winter 1995, p 4-5, 16-17.
  • Leewright, Marty B., Alternative Dispute Resolution in District and County Courts at Law: A Qualitative Research Study. Research findings published in The TCAM Newsletter, Tarrant County Association of Mediators, Vol. 2, No. 1, January 1994, p. 2-9.


Numerous other articles published, including:

  • Sanctity of Mediated Agreements Challenged
  • Recent Arbitration and Mediation Cases Continue to Define ADR; Support ADR
  • Agreements The Mediation Process
  • “Med-Arb”
  • Legislative and CaseLaw Developments in ADR
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution Offers New Way to Resolve Conflict
  • Beyond the Jury
  • Cases Suitable for ADR
  • Mediating Insurance Claims
  • Preparing Your Client for Mediation
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Referring Cases to ADR
  • ADR Notes
  • ADR Study Completed


Marty served on the Editorial Board of Alternative Resolutions, the official publication of the State Bar of Texas ADR Section. Marty has also served for several years as a Mediation Trainer for Texas 40-hour statutory Mediation training and teaches at accredited Continuing Legal Education Seminars (CLE) for The State Bar of Texas. He is a Member of the College of the State Bar of Texas and was named a Fellow of the State Bar College in 2004. He authored a 100-page Mediation Training Manual on Alternative Dispute Resolution for statutory mediation training and judicial Settlement Week training. He teaches Mediation and ADR related subjects at Texas Wesleyan University Law School and Texas Woman’s University extended education program. For seven years he edited the Personal Injury Digest, a monthly digest of personal injury, wrongful death, insurance and related procedure and evidence cases from the fourteen Texas Courts of Appeals and Texas Supreme Court. He was editor of Dispute Resolution Texas Style, the official 20-page ADR brochure widely distributed to the public, lawyers and judges by the State Bar of Texas. He is a past Editor and contributor to the Denton County Lawyer and has also been invited to write many guest newspaper columns, over three decades he has written and published over 125 articles.

Presentations

(partial list)

  • Numerous CLE presentations to the Texas Justice Court Judges Association regarding Mediation, Settlement and Efficient Docket Processes, Court Procedural Rules, Ethics, etc.
  • Effective Mediation Advocacy. Keynote presentation to Southwest Regional Student Legal Services Association, New Orleans, Louisiana;
  • Arbitration in the ADR Practice. Presentation to State Bar of Texas ADR Section Mid-Year Meeting, Austin, Texas;
  • Advanced Negotiation Strategies and Tactics for the Advocate. Seminar presented to Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana Bar Associations, Tulane Univ. School of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana;
  • ADR Caselaw Update. Presentation to State Bar of Texas ADR Section, mid-year meeting, Austin, Texas;
  • Dealing with 3rd Parties in Mediation. Basic Mediator Training, Tarrant County Dispute Resolution Services, Ft. Worth, TX;
  • Lessons Learned: Helping to Resolve 10,000 Disputes. Presentation to Mediation Council, Dallas Texas;
  • Advising Clients with Personal Injury & Insurance Claims. Presentation to Southwest Regional Legal Services Conference, Santa Fe, NM;
  • The Value of Mediation in Higher Education: Designing a Mediation Program in Higher Education. Presentations at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida;
  • Designing a Mediation Program for Higher Education. Presentation at Third Annual Texas Higher Education Law Conference, Denton, Texas;
  • University of North Texas ADR Program. Presentation to all Vice Presidents, Deans, Chairs and Directors, Radisson Hotel, Denton, Texas;
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution in Higher Education. Presentation to Texas Association of State University Attorneys, Ft. Worth, Texas;
  • ADR Update- CaseLaw, Legislation and Mediator Ethics. Presentation to Denton County Bar Association, Denton, TX;
  • ADR and Mediation. Two and a half hour presentation, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas;
  • Gender Differences in Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. Presentation to Texas Association of Mediators Annual Conference, Houston, TX; (Dr. Jill Rhea’s research and materials.)
  • Deception Detection for Lawyers and Mediators, Southwest Regional Student Legal Services Association, San Francisco, California;
  • ADR and Mediation; Historical Development and Overview. Presentation at mediation training for educational administrators, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas;
  • Mediation; an Overview. Univ. of North Texas Mini-Course (4 hours), UNT, Denton Texas; “101⁄2 Ways to Avoid Lawyers”. Presentations to Breakfast Kiwanis Club (and various other civic organizations);
  • Tips for Educating and Informing About ADR. Continuing Legal Education presentation to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Texas, Austin, Texas;
  • Implementing Alternative Dispute Resolution in Higher Education Institutions. Served on panel of experts at Personnel Administrators of Texas Senior Colleges and Universities (PATSCU) annual conference, Austin, Texas;
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques for University Staff. Presentation to Texas Woman’s University Housing Staff, Denton, Texas;
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution in District and County Courts at Law. Presentation to Tarrant County Association of Mediators (TCAM), Fort Worth, Texas;
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution in District and County Courts at Law. Presentation to Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR), Dallas, Texas;
  • Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution in Higher Education. Presentation and mock mediation given to the Texas Association of College and University Student Personnel Administrators (TACUSPA) annual summer legal conference, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas;
  • Mediation Training and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Presentation of 40-hour statutory Mediation training for the Univ. of North Texas Mediation Program co-sponsored by the Denton County Dispute Resolution Center. Denton County Courthouse, Denton, Texas;
  • Options Regarding Sexual Harassment. Presentation in University Union, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas.

Mediation & Dispute Resolution Training

  • Collaborative Law Training – (Chip Rose) Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
  • Intermediate Collaborative Law Training, Dallas Bar Association, Dallas, Texas
  • Advanced Negotiation Strategies and Tactics for the Advocate, Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, LA;
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Mediation – State Bar of Texas ADR Section, Austin;
  • Advanced Court-Annexed Mediator Training – Professional Attorney Mediators, Dallas;
  • Advanced Mediator Training – Attorney Mediator Institute, Dallas;
  • Advanced Arbitrator Training – American Arbitration Association, Dallas;
  • Psychodrama Training, National Psychodrama Training Center, Round Top, Texas;
  • Advanced Psychodrama Training, National Psychodrama Training Center, held at Hunt,
  • Texas; 24-hour Advanced Negotiation & Mediation Training, CDR Associates, Boulder, CO
  • 40-hour Certified Mediator Training – Dispute Resolution Services of Tarrant County;
  • 24-hour Family Law Mediation Training – East Texas State University;
  • Mediation/ADR Trainer, Centers for Dispute Resolution of Denton and Tarrant Counties;
  • 50-hour Negotiation and Mediation Summer Workshop, Texas Tech University School of Law;
  • Director, Pilot Mediation Project, University of North Texas;
  • Arbitrator Training, American Arbitration Association, Dallas;
  • Resolving Commercial Disputes w/out Litigation – University of Texas School of Law & Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans;
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution, The New Legal System, Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas;
  • 16-hour Prejudice Reduction and Multicultural Diversity – National Coalition Building Institute;
  • 24-hour Trainer/Facilitator Workshop, North Texas Coalition for Diversity;
  • Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR) International Seminar 1994, Dallas;
  • Texas Association of Mediators Annual Seminar 1994, Dallas;
  • Texas Association of Mediators Annual Seminar 1995, Houston;
  • State Bar of Texas Sixth Annual Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institute;
  • State Bar of Texas Fifth Annual Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institute;
  • State Bar of Texas Fourth Annual Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institute;
  • Dispute Resolution Day, American Arbitration Association, Dallas;
  • Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Dual Solutions and University of North Texas

Trial & Litigation Training

  • Selected one of 50 lawyers nationally, to attend intensive Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming;
  • Advanced Graduate Trial Advocacy Seminar, Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming;
  • Advanced Personal Injury and Insurance Law Seminars, State Bar of Texas, numerous years;
  • Federal Civil Practice Seminars, Dallas Bar Assoc., E. Texas Trial Lawyers Assoc., Dallas, Tyler;
  • Texas Torts in the Nineties, The State Bar of Texas;
  • The Masters in Trial, American Board of Trial Advocates, Dallas, Texas;
  • 11-Day Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, Univ. of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas;
  • Medical & Orthopedic Injuries, 6-wk course Medi-Legal Institute, SW Medical School, Dallas, Texas.

Hundreds of Cases Over Nearly 40 Years Mediated or Arbitrated

(partial list)

Attorney-Client Fee Disputes Products Liability
Insurance Personal Injury
Consumer Professional Malpractice
Business Litigation Medical Malpractice
Family Law and Divorce Neighborhood Disputes
Child Custody Partnership Dissolution
Property Issues Property Division
Construction Disputes Sexual Harassment
Contracts
 Victim-Offender
Employment
 Multi-Party Cases
Juvenile
 Landlord-Tenant
Credit Claims And many others…

Family

Mr. Leewright was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He is married to Dr. Malinda Fasol-Leewright, PhD., Chair of University Graduate Psychology Program, a trained Mediator/Mediation Trainer, also of Fort Worth; daughter “Daxi” a competitive dancer since age 3, attended Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts for eight years, plays the violin, tennis, is a avid photographer and videographer, has traveled to several foreign countries, graduated as a High School Honors student at age 16 and will soon attend college on a full scholarship.

Share by: