Aldos Vance
Mediator and Arbitrator – Vance Dispute Resolutions, PC

 

Description of field of expertise

Al is the founder and managing partner of Vance Dispute Resolution, PC (VADR) where he specializes in strategic problem-solving, mediation, and arbitration. He is registered on the American Arbitration Association (Consumer Arbitration and Employment Arbitration panels as well as the mediator panel), Alabama State Court Mediator Roster, ADR Panel of Neutrals for the Northern District of Alabama, and a member of the Alabama Academy of Attorney Mediators. In 2023, he was appointed as a Hearing Officer for the Alabama State Bar’s Disciplinary Board. He holds an AV Preeminent Martindale Hubbell Rating.

 

Al enjoys leveraging his over twenty-two (22) years of experience to problem-solve and resolve disputes as a mediator, and arbitrator. He has extensive expertise in the following areas: personal injury (slip and falls, motor vehicle, and trucking accidents), product liability (product defects and heavy machinery), professional liability (legal and dental malpractice), workers’ compensation, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (ethnicity, gender, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, transgender, religion (Seventh-day Adventist)), Equal Pay Act (EPA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).

 

For over a decade, he served as General Counsel for the aerial device industry leader, Altec Industries, Inc., and as Associate General Counsel for Altec, Inc. Prior to Altec, Al launched his legal career in 2000 at the Starnes Davis Florie, LLP law firm, where he later became a partner. Al is a licensed member of both Alabama and Georgia State Bars. 

 

Al earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Auburn University. 

 

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

My advice is as follows:

• Obtain Training. There are many mediation and arbitration training programs available, both online and in person. These programs will teach you the skills and techniques you need to be an effective mediator or arbitrator.
• Gain Experience. Gain experience by volunteering your services to a mediation or arbitration center, or by serving as a mediator or arbitrator in small claims court cases.
• Become Certified or Join the State Roster. In some states, mediators and arbitrators must be certified by the state bar or another organization. This certification demonstrates that you have met the required training and experience standards.
• Network and Take Speaking Engagements. Get to know other mediators and arbitrators in your area. Also, take speaking engagements. This will help you build your reputation and obtain clients.
• Be Patient. It takes time to build a successful practice. Don’t get discouraged. Just keep learning and practicing, and eventually you will be successful.