Arbitrator, mediator and attorney with over 30 years of legal experience in courts nationwide. Offering virtual, in-person and online mediation and arbitration. A National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals member and a TMCA Credentialed Advanced Mediator, Sylvia Mayer serves on several arbitration and mediation rosters for civil, commercial, consumer, employment, and healthcare disputes.
Over the last three decades, Sylvia Mayer has served as counsel or neutral in thousands of disputes spanning a breadth of industries and a wide variety of issues, including avoidance actions, banking, bankruptcy, business divorces, business separations, civil litigation, collections, commercial leasing, commercial litigation, construction, consumer, contracts, corporate governance, corporations, credit, director and officer liability, distribution, employment, energy, exploration and production, fiduciary duties, finance, financial services, fraud, fraudulent transfers, healthcare, hospitality, insolvency, insurance, landlord-tenant, lender liability, limited liability companies, manufacturing, mechanics and vendors liens, natural gas, oil and gas, oilfield services, partnerships, pharmaceutical, personal injury, pipelines and transportation, preference actions, professional liability, real estate, retail, royalties, sales, secured transactions, securities, surety bonds, telecommunications, torts, transportation, and wholesale.
S. Mayer Law PLLC – Partner, March 1, 2014 – Present; Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP – October 1993 – March 2014
Have served as neutral in disputes with amounts in controversy ranging from $20,000 to in excess of $1 billion. Breadth of matters include:
BANKRUPTCY ADR: Neutral service for plan negotiations, claims disputes, operational disputes, avoidance actions, guaranties, & various adversary proceedings.
BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL ADR: Neutral service for business litigation, business separations, collections, contracts, corporate governance, corporations, credit defaults, director & officer liability, fiduciary duties, financial services, guaranties, limited liability companies & partnerships, insurance, operating agreements, partnerships, personal injury, professional liability, representations and warranties, secured transactions, surety bonds, and tortious interference.
CONSUMER ADR: Neutral service for collections, credit defaults, fraud, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Texas Debt Collection Act, and Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
ENERGY/OIL AND GAS ADR: Neutral service for exploration and production, joint operating agreements, oil and gas leases, royalties and overrides, statutory lien rights, oilfield services, fiduciary duties, gathering & transportation agreements, credit defaults, and guaranties.
EMPLOYMENT ADR: Neutral service for separation, severance, non-compete, benefits, employment contracts, and a variety of discrimination claims.
HEALTHCARE: Neutral service for healthcare network disputes, balanced billing disputes, contract disputes, and other disputes between facilities and providers.
Mediation requires a combination of patience, creativity, perseverance and empathy. My role, as mediator, is to allow the parties a safe place to share their experience, explore the strengths and weaknesses of their case, and seek out a path to resolution. Each mediation is unique and preparation is essential. Pre-mediation statements and conferences are an important part of the mediation process. Prior to the date of mediation, I typically invite input from the parties regarding process (including use of joint sessions or opening statements), available pathways to resolution, and perceived obstacles to resolution. I adapt my style to address the needs of the parties. Depending on the party and the circumstances, my role may be to listen, to question, to analyze, or to push. Often needs evolve during the mediation, which requires perception, flexibility, and willingness to adapt to the needs of each dispute.
Sylvia graduated from Washington University in 1987, cum laude, with a B.A. in Theater. After working for three years in the arts community in Houston, Sylvia went to law school and, in 1993, she graduated from the University of Houston Law Center, summa cum laude.
