University of Houston Law Center’s mediation clinic has expanded its training and reach due to a $1.25 million gift that led to the naming of the Alan F. and Diane R. Levin Mediation Clinic.
The mediation clinic, one of nine specialized clinics at UHLC, trains students to resolve disputes by identifying underlying issues, actively listening and reframing statements and helping parties move toward mutually agreeable resolutions. Student mediators work on real cases involving property disputes, breach of contract matters and international custody issues.
“The beauty of this donation is that it’s going to allow us to do more to really integrate the concepts, these principles, more widely into practice,” said Leonard Baynes, dean at UHLC.
With the funding, the clinic can now provide services in four outlying counties in addition to Harris County. It is also working with the child division of the U.S. Department of Justice to handle additional child abduction mediations under the Hague Convention.
The clinic was officially named in February during a ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring alumnus Alan Levin and his wife, Diane Levin, whose long-standing commitment to mediation inspired UHLC’s investment in expanding this hands‑on learning opportunity for students.
