FN-1974286 MN-1974286 LN-1974286, Esq.
Arbitrator, Certified Circuit Civil/Appellate Mediator, Hearing Officer, Special Master/Magistrate
Odessa, Florida
Melvia B. Green, P.A. – Principal/Owner
Arbitrator, Certified Circuit Civil/Appellate Mediator, Hearing Officer, Special Master/Magistrate
Arbitrator/Certified Circuit Civil and Appellate Mediator/Hearing Officer/Special Master/Magistrate, 2009 – Present; Former Legal Advisor (Part-time), City of Tampa Florida, 2009 – 2013; District Judge, Florida Third District Court of Appeal, 1994 – 2008; Circuit Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1989 – 1994; County Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1987 – 1989; Senior Litigation Attorney, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, 1983 – 1987; Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida, 1980 – 1983; Staff Attorney, Florida Power Corporation, 1978 – 1980.
Accomplished former jurist with over 20 years of progressive judicial experience at both the trial and appellate court levels.
As a state trial judge for seven years, served as the fact-finder in over 500 bench trials and presided over 375 jury trials. Both bench and jury trials involved both domestic and foreign nationals whose claims included, but were not limited to the following: admiralty; breach of contract and complex commercial; insurance; business and property torts; consumer law; healthcare; construction; franchise; partnership disputes; trade secrets; privacy law; maritime; RICO; class actions; foreclosures; commercial and residential landlord/tenant disputes; professional malpractice; employment; product liability; transportation; injunctions; 1983 actions; securities; and anti-compete actions.
As a state appellate judge for over 14 years, extensively reviewed and evaluated trial court and administrative decisions for legal correctness and authored over 1,000 published legal opinions. As a result, has acquired in-depth knowledge of various substantive and procedural areas of the law. Highly skilled, for example, in correctly interpreting contractual and statutory language in accordance with established rules of construction.
Prior to judicial career, served as a: Senior Litigation Attorney for an international law firm and represented corporate clients in complex commercial, securities and tort actions before state and federal courts and arbitration proceedings; and represented professional individuals before licensing agencies and administrative proceedings; Federal Prosecutor; and In-House Counsel to an electric utility corporation.
As a state trial judge for seven years, served as the fact-finder in over 500 bench trials and presided over 375 jury trials. Both bench and jury trials involved both domestic and foreign nationals whose claims included, but were not limited to the following: admiralty; breach of contract and complex commercial; insurance; business and property torts; consumer law; healthcare; construction; franchise; partnership disputes; trade secrets; privacy law; maritime; RICO; class actions; foreclosures; commercial and residential landlord/tenant disputes; professional malpractice; employment; product liability; transportation; injunctions; 1983 actions; securities; and anti-compete actions.
As a state appellate judge for over 14 years, extensively reviewed and evaluated trial court and administrative decisions for legal correctness and authored over 1,000 published legal opinions. As a result, has acquired in-depth knowledge of various substantive and procedural areas of the law. Highly skilled, for example, in correctly interpreting contractual and statutory language in accordance with established rules of construction.
Prior to judicial career, served as a: Senior Litigation Attorney for an international law firm and represented corporate clients in complex commercial, securities and tort actions before state and federal courts and arbitration proceedings; and represented professional individuals before licensing agencies and administrative proceedings; Federal Prosecutor; and In-House Counsel to an electric utility corporation.
Mediated over 500 commercial; banking; insurance; franchise; healthcare; employment; business/personal tort; construction; and warehouse and distribution disputes. A representative example of such cases include: a multimillion-dollar deficiency judgment dispute between various Latin American partnerships/corporate entities and a Florida lending institution; multimillion-dollar bankruptcy adversary proceedings between the trustee and various alleged recipients in a "Ponzi" scheme; three-hundred thousand dollar contractual dispute between a sports/entertainment arena and a vendor; declaratory action involving a constitutional election challenge brought by a former county commissioner against the supervisor of elections and the county; commercial and residential mortgage foreclosure disputes; employment discrimination/FLSA/ERISA/sexual harassment claims; franchisee/franchisor disputes from $150,000 upwards; personal injury and wrongful death claims; 1983 equal protection claim between a private corporate entity and a local governmental entity worth in excess of several million dollars; real estate ejectment action between adjoining property owners; and health care payor/payee disputes; medical practitioner partnership disputes; multi-million dollar commercial construction dispute involving multiple parties concerning the renovation of an airport.
Some of the primary issues involved in the mediated cases were as follows:
(1) The valuation of commercial property in a deficiency judgment action after a mortgage foreclosure action.
(2) The liability of a local government for a 1983 equal protection claim involving its denial a zoning variance.
(3) General breach of contract claims in various commercial settings.
(4) Robinson-Patman Act violation between franchisee and franchisor.
(5) Whether a debt collection agency violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 27 U.S.C. Section 227 et seq.?
(6) Whether certain recipients profited from a "Ponzi" scheme by a debtor in bankruptcy?
(7) The liability of various defendants in personal injury and wrongful death claims to the plaintiff(s).
(8) Racial discrimination claim brought by a laborer against a general contractor and subcontractor.
(9) Racial and gender discrimination claim brought by an ex-employee of a major soft drink bottling company.
(10) Age discrimination claim brought by a former executive against a life insurance company.
(11) Commercial and residential mortgage foreclosure actions between commercial lenders and borrowers.
(12) Partnership dissolution dispute between attorneys at a former law firm.
(1) The valuation of commercial property in a deficiency judgment action after a mortgage foreclosure action.
(2) The liability of a local government for a 1983 equal protection claim involving its denial a zoning variance.
(3) General breach of contract claims in various commercial settings.
(4) Robinson-Patman Act violation between franchisee and franchisor.
(5) Whether a debt collection agency violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 27 U.S.C. Section 227 et seq.?
(6) Whether certain recipients profited from a "Ponzi" scheme by a debtor in bankruptcy?
(7) The liability of various defendants in personal injury and wrongful death claims to the plaintiff(s).
(8) Racial discrimination claim brought by a laborer against a general contractor and subcontractor.
(9) Racial and gender discrimination claim brought by an ex-employee of a major soft drink bottling company.
(10) Age discrimination claim brought by a former executive against a life insurance company.
(11) Commercial and residential mortgage foreclosure actions between commercial lenders and borrowers.
(12) Partnership dissolution dispute between attorneys at a former law firm.
As an attorney and certified appellate and circuit civil mediator, the mediator is subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Rules Governing the Florida Bar, as well as the Florida Rules for Certified & Court-Appointed Mediators. These rules prescribe, among other things, that: (1) parties, not lawyers or mediators, decide whether and on what terms and conditions, to settle their disputes; (2) lawyers, incompetently representing their clients, must explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the clients to make informed decisions regarding whether, and on what terms, to settle; and (3) a mediator is an impartial neutral whose role is to reduce obstacles to communication, assist in the identification of issues, explore alternatives, and otherwise facilitate discussions for a voluntary agreement. Cases tend to settle during mediation when all participants are prepared, fully engaged in and trust the process.
University of Miami School of Law (JD-1978); Northwestern University (BS-1975); University of Nevada at Reno, National Judicial College (General Jurisdiction and Appellate Coursework).
Admitted to the Bar: Florida (1979); U.S. District Court: Middle (1979) and Southern (1981) Districts of Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals: Fifth (1989) and Eleventh (1989) Circuits; U.S. Supreme Court (2011).
American Bar Association; American Health Lawyers Association-Dispute Resolution Review Board Member; Florida Academy of Professional Mediators; Florida Bar (Health Lawyers Section; Labor and Employment Section); National Association of Distinguished Neutrals; and Women in Dispute Resolution.
"Appellate Mediation," Hillsborough Bar Association, 2011; "Mediation Preparation," George Edgecomb Bar Association, 2011; "Appellate Advocacy and Ethics," Hillsborough County Bench/Bar Conference, November 2009; "Legal Ethics," Florida Bar Appellate Seminar for Young Lawyers, September 2006; "Effective Oral Arguments," Florida Bar Basic Appellate Practice Seminar, March 2006; "Hot Topics in Appellate Practice," Florida Bar Appellate Section, 2002; "Winning and Losing Arguments-A View From the Bench," The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, June 16, 1999; "Appellate Practice: Practical and Ethical Considerations," APPELLATE LAW FOR TRIAL LAWYERS, Professional Education System, Inc., 1995.
A virtual mediation via a video-conference platform or within a two hour drive of the Tampa Bay, Florida area.
$5,000 Per Day
English
United States of America
Odessa, FL
The AAA’s Rules provide the AAA with the authority to administer a mediation including, mediator appointment, general oversight and billing. Accordingly, mediations that proceed without AAA administration are not considered AAA mediations, even when the parties select an mediator who is on the AAA’s Roster.
The information contained in this resume has been supplied solely by the individual mediator and may, or may not, be a complete recitation of their experience. The AAA assumes no responsibility for the content, completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in a mediator’s resume. If you have any questions about a mediator’s experience or background, you are encouraged to contact your case manager.
Mediators on the AAA Roster are not employees or agents of the AAA.
The information contained in this resume has been supplied solely by the individual mediator and may, or may not, be a complete recitation of their experience. The AAA assumes no responsibility for the content, completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in a mediator’s resume. If you have any questions about a mediator’s experience or background, you are encouraged to contact your case manager.
Mediators on the AAA Roster are not employees or agents of the AAA.
