BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (January 16, 2024) – Robert “Bob” Cooper recently retired as a founding partner at one of Birmingham’s leading firms in favor of becoming a full-time neutral.

Mr. Cooper has tried well over 100 cases to a jury verdict, defending a wide variety of claims, over the course of his 46-year career. He has tried cases in most of Alabama’s 67 counties and in all three of the state’s federal district courts. 

“We are indeed fortunate to welcome this distinguished veteran trial attorney to our ranks,” said John Upchurch, CEO of UWWM.  “Bob Cooper has earned the admiration and respect of his peers, and will be seen as a credible and empathetic neutral in fashioning reasonable outcomes for the benefit of our clients.”

Mr. Cooper recounted that, when mediation as a means of dispute resolution was “ramping up” in Alabama more than 30 years ago, he was a big naysayer, thinking (erroneously) that mediation would never work and that lawyers would never believe they could get the best result for their client except at a courthouse for trial.

Mr. Cooper’s epiphany came while defending a commercial case for a utility contractor. The presiding judge ordered mediation and assigned Rodney Max, one of the principals of Upchurch Watson White & Max, as the mediator. Neither Mr. Cooper nor the attorney for the Plaintiff thought mediation would result in resolution since the CEOs of the opposing companies had tried to resolve it before litigation.

“Simply put, I was wrong,” Mr. Cooper said. “Through a long but persistent day of mediation that continued into the evening, Rod Max was able to move the case to resolution.” After that experience, Mr. Cooper became a great proponent of mediation and thought he would like to serve in that capacity one day.

That day has come. His practice will remain diverse, and he will mediate all types of personal injury, professional negligence, fraud, bad faith and other matters.

Mr. Cooper has received an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and he is listed in Best Lawyers in America and Mid-South Super Lawyers. He also has been recognized as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation. He has been recognized by his peers for his advocacy by being named a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

For more information or to schedule a mediation with Mr. Cooper, contact case manager Cat Tumlin at ctumlin@uww-adr or (888) 435-9033.

About Upchurch Watson White & Max

A nationally leading mediation specialty firm, Upchurch Watson White & Max is known for facilitating reasonable agreements to resolve complex issues. From offices in Florida and Alabama, state Supreme Court-certified attorney mediators with wide-ranging specialties serve as court-appointed and privately employed mediators, arbitrators and third-party neutral case managers, implementing innovative methods of alternative dispute resolution across the country. On the web: uww-adr.com.

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