Leo Hura- JD, Mediator

Leo is a "problem solver" using communications, dialogue, and analytical skills in dealing with "issues" people have in their relationships.

Leo's background, training, and experience prepared him for his practice .  Leo is on his third career.  His first career started with an education at USNA followed by 6 years of active and 8 years of reserve duty.  After sea duty, including two deployments to Vietnam, Leo left active duty and participated in the Naval Reserves.  He was hired by Merck & Co. and spent the next 25 years in manufacturing, mostly as a business or project team leader. Leo led some of his divisions toughest international capital projects, mired in disputes, to success while he pursued his Law degree at night school. 

During his corporate career Leo was often selected to rescue teams and projects from the brink of failure.  He received the Chairman's Award from  legendary chairman Roy Vagelos for "his outstanding contributions which enabled Merck to launch TIMPILO (an eye treatment product) in Scandinavia". The rescue of a second project launched the sales of Merck's ophthalmic line products ($400MM sales per year) in a container voted best package in its class in 2000 by a prestigious packaging group. He has integrated his military discipline, corporate experience in "problem solving", and legal training into his mediation style.  Leo has added intense work in mediating interpersonal and community based disputes to hone his mediation skills.

Lately Leo has turned his attention to the production of videos which inform, educate, and promote avoiding, preventing, and resolving conflict. He starts with a concept, develops a script, produces and edits videos dealing with medaiton, facilitation, project teams and a growing list of topics in his areas of expertise. he offers opportunities to his colleagues to participate in every aspect of these productions including topic selection and content as well as in writing scripts. 

 Leo's strengths include: 

• Multi-culturalism.  Leo's background, born in Argentina of Ukrainian parents followed by emigration to the US, his international experience while in Merck's international division, including living in Japan and France, and now diverse Hawaii, give him a broad multicultural base from which to ineract with clients.
• Finding creative solutions to disputes.  Leo's corporate assignments into problematic projects at Merck required creative solutions not only on issues but in leading his teams.  As mediation often requires creativity Leo's knowledge and experience often comes into play to break impasse. 
• Getting results.  Leo is passionate about results.  As expectations by clients differ Leo is very sensitive to client expectations and keeps focused on them.  His biggest satisfaction comes from having a mediation meet peoples expectations.

In interpersonal disputes Leo's strengths include: 

• Listening skills
• Ability to pick up what's critical, essential, relavent to clients
• Ability to use peoples time effectively
• Searching for and identifying alternatives
• Dealing with peoples emotions with empathy while keeping a focus on the issues and their resolution.
• Reaching mutual agreement

Leo graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Seton Hall Law School, received his Mediation training at ICLE in New Jersey and Mediation Center of the Pacific in Honolulu. He continues to learn through such courses as negotiation at Pepperdine and collaborating with colleagues on community tv programs on avoiding, preventing, and resolving conflict.

 On the comercial and organizational front Leo is particularly interested in project teams and in their efforts to avoid, prevent and resolve conflict through training and by putting systems and processes in place which embrace resolution rather than dispute and litigation.

On the interpersonal dispute level Leo has mediated cases dealing with neighbor v. neighbor, contract, condo, damages, child custody and property distribution, TRO's, workplace disputes, dispute amongst youngsters. 

 To maintain his professional credentials in biopharmaceutical technology and industry issues Leo actively participates in ISPE where he is a member of the Steering Committee in the Project Management Community of Practice.  Leo is located in Honolulu Hawaii and is a volunteer senior mediator for the Mediation Center of the Pacific and part of their ADR Access Program.  

Leo  plays soccer in the islands Master League, hikes the volcano rims and ridges and loves to swim and snorkel in Hawaii waters with wife and kids.   Leo is a VP in his Church council and has developed and maintains their web site.  He is also an activisit for seeking a cure for Type 1 diabetes by working with the Honolulu Chapter of the JDRF.