Laurel Stevenson is the Director of the Mediation and Assessment Program (MAP) for the United States District Court, Western District of Missouri. She oversees approximately 1,000 civil cases annually and serves as a mediator and facilitator. She also trains judges, neutrals, students, staff and others on effective and ethical use of ADR. She is the Editor of The Resolver, a publication of the FBA’s ADR Section, and in Section leadership.
Laurel has conducted hundreds of mediations, including more than 300 via Zoom. Her ADR work includes class actions, insurance, FLSA, employment, MDL’s, civil rights, inmate litigation, wrongful death, transportation, medical malpractice, and commercial disputes. Several resolutions have resulted in institutional policy changes.
Prior to her current position, Laurel tried more than eighty jury trials to verdict, served as appellate counsel, was lead trial counsel in numerous bench trials, and taught trial practice in Missouri and Texas. She served more than a decade as a Facilitator for the Missouri Bar Complaint Resolution Program and the Fee Dispute Resolution Program. She also served as a mediator, arbitrator, and facilitator during her last twelve years in private practice.