I was about twelve years old when I last took a swing at someone. There was a kid bullying my little brother. Every day he would come to the corner as we waited for the bus, and he would taunt Warren. One day I spoke up, I told him to quit making fun of my brother. When he didn’t, I slugged him (POW). He ran home crying, our mothers exchanged calls, and I was told that physical violence was not the way to solve problems (but also told, “good for standing up for your brother”).

As time went by, I naturally gravitated toward communication, interest-based negotiation, and mediation to resolve conflict. I encounter people in highly charged emotional situations and help them think clearly and focus on solutions. The venting process helps them blow off steam. I wondered, what if they punched something as well? Sometimes they look like they want to.

Before long I found myself at Oak Lawn Boxing with Travis Glenn, an extraordinarily gifted trainer. Initially I asked to be on the non-sparring track – give me exercise and agility but keep me from getting hurt. After the first lesson, I was hooked (though technically I didn’t learn to throw a “hook” until the second lesson).

Boxing is a head, heart, and body sport. It is, or can be, highly technical. There is a lot to think about – what punches to throw, timing and speed, blocking and avoiding, combinations. My brain is fully engaged in the thinking part of this sport. Alas, my body does not always do what I ask it to do. I send signals to my legs and arms, and wait for the response. Still I am getting faster and more fluid.

And then there is the Heart of boxing, what I call the Zen of Boxing. I’m not there yet but I move toward that moment when everything comes together – when the artificial becomes natural, when I feel “in the flow.” I’m taking baby steps, becoming more confident with my punches and more comfortable moving around the ring. I try to relax and be intense at the same time. I feel a real sense of power, of being in command. Testosterone levels climb as I tap into primal aggression and channel it, thoughtfully and intelligently. I breathe through every punch.

Boxing, like Zen, holds opposites: stillness and motion, calmness and intensity. I’m enjoying the experience and the challenge of mastering a new sport. We’ll see where the journey takes me, and how it will inform my practice. I just might take out my boxing gloves at the next mediation.

For more information about Oak Lawn Boxing and my trainer, Travis Glenn, visit: http://www.oaklawnboxing.com/ Travis is a great instructor. First lesson is free!

I was in Palm Springs for the PIABA annual conference. PIABA is an organization dedicated to protecting public investors. Its members are tireless advocates in representing investors in securities arbitration. I have worked with many of these fine lawyers in a mediation context and it was good to reconnect with them, and to meet new people, lawyers and experts alike. Several folks came up to thank me for a different reason. They were my students, having attended my mediation training classes in NYC, Portland, and Dallas in the late 1990’s. FINRA (then called NASD DR) sent a team of their top people to Portland to learn about mediation. There was a freak ice storm and we were shut in for days – a real captive audience, you might say. Within a few months, the FINRA mediation program was up and running.

But back to Palm Springs – the PIABA conference was a tremendous success on many levels – personally and professionally. The CLE programs were interesting and informative. I will definitely be back next year. I am a neutral and will be attending the SIFMA conference in the fall, learning from the other side of the docket (firms and brokers). Continuing education informs my practice and makes me a better mediator. So does taking on new challenges and living a good life! Be well.

This is a “return home” of sorts. In the 1990s, I spent six years in Portland, Oregon. So when FINRA told me that there was a need for more seasoned securities mediators in the Northwest, I jumped at the opportunity to open a satellite office.

Our main office is in Texas, where I began my ADR practice twenty-five years ago. But when lawyers in Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, or Olympia need an experienced local mediator (with no add-on travel costs), I’m the man.

Naturally, my practice is not limited to securities mediation. I specialize in “impossible to settle” cases – complex business matters, employment, health care, ERISA, and other disciplines. See my CV and testimonials for details. I work as a mediator, a private arbitrator, or as settlement counsel (adjunct negotiator).

LG Davis, my trusty case coordinator, handles settings across the country. She is keeper of the calendar, keeping tabs on when I will be in Texas and when I will be in Washington. My cell phone is always on. I am embarking on an exciting adventure and I invite you to join me. As always, I appreciate your referrals, your support, and your confidence.

- Jeff