ADJUNCT PROFESSORS HONORED

Adjunct Professors Karen Roberts Washington and Kay Elliott won high praise this year for their work in Dispute Resolution. Professor Washington was inducted into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, a highly selective body whose membership is by peer invitation only. Professor Washington has mediated more than 1,200 civil disputes. She is also a permanent member of the Uniform Law Commission, a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a Dallas Bar Association Life Fellow. In 2019-2020, Professor Washington co-taught the Mediation course with Professor Welsh. Together the two also presented on “Arbitration – A Closer Look” to the William “Mac” Taylor Chapter of the American Inns of Court in Dallas. They spoke about the rise of mandatory consumer arbitration clauses that bar class actions in the credit card industry. Their talk addressed Supreme Court jurisprudence, recent case law in Texas, and reform efforts undertaken by Congress, state legislatures, federal agencies, and private actors.

Professor Kay Elliott received the Susanne Adams Award from the Texas Association of Mediators, honoring her contributions to the development of mediation in Texas. This award is given annually to people who have done outstanding work in promoting or furthering the use of mediation in Texas. Professor Elliott also works tirelessly and very successfully with Texas A&M student teams in dispute resolution competitions. In remarks shared with those attending the award ceremony, Professor Nancy Welsh said, “We are so lucky that Kay is part of Texas A&M's Dispute Resolution Program. She has played a major role in the spread of mediation in Texas and in our law school's commitment to the field of dispute resolution. Her dedication to our students is outstanding. So many of our alums and current students speak very highly of the role she has played in their professional development.”