Blog

March 2019

I love helping families like this build their first home with HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SAN ANTONIO.  I have served on the Board of Directors for about 13 years now, and during that time, we have built over 500 homes for families in need.

DID YOU KNOW that Habitat for Humanity San Antonio is THE LARGEST AFFORDABLE HOME BUILDER in all of South Texas!  So far, we have helped over 1,000 families buy their first home, and we build an average of ONE (1) new simple, decent affordable home every week of the year!  This quality, energy efficient home will cost this family only about $79,000. Since we charge NO INTEREST (0% Interest), this family’s monthly mortgage payment including, property taxes and insurance will be only about $600 per month!

March 2007

An Excerpt from the “Ten Keys to Successful Mediation”

By: Rene Diaz, Former District Judge, Bilingual Mediator & Arbitrator (Copyright © 2007)

“Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser -- in fees, expenses, and waste of time.  As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough.”

—Abraham Lincoln, “Notes for a Law Lecture”, circa 1850.

‘Creativity’ - One of the Ten Keys to Successful Mediation

Disputes are often resolved at mediation with new terms that may not have been considered by the parties prior to the mediation.  This is the “creative” element of the mediation process; new solutions to old problems will often come up during mediation.  These new possibilities of settlement that could form the basis of an agreement are the result of a synergistic process that naturally occurs at mediation when you combine three things:

      (1) A participant willing to listen;

      (2) A skillful attorney who is able to adapt to new facts and opportunities, and

      (3) An experienced, creative mediator who is accustomed to “thinking outside the box.” 

A good mediator will do more than simply convey offers or “carry water back and forth” for the attorneys; a skilled mediator will get the parties to consider creative new solutions, beyond what either side would have considered alone or without the help of a skilled, dedicated and creative mediator.

“As a mediator, I am committed to use all of the skills and experience I have gained during hundreds of mediations over the last two decades of private practice as well as my judicial experience to try to settle each case. ”  Rene Diaz, Former District Judge, Certified Mediator.