Dallas, TX -- (SBWire) -- 04/25/2012 --Dallas arbitrator and appellate attorney Deborah Hankinson will be a featured speaker in a national conference of lawyers, arbitrators and business people addressing arbitration trends and methods for keeping arbitrations from getting out of control.

Hankinson, a former Texas Supreme Court justice and founder ofHankinson LLP, will participate in the panel presentation, “How to Prevent a Runaway Arbitration,” during the American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual CLE Conference on April 19 in Washington, D.C. The panel will offer practical solutions to help in-house and outside counsel ensure that arbitration remains a cost-effective and efficient alternative to litigation.

Along with Ms. Hankinson, the panel will include Crowell & Moring LLP Partner Kathryn Kirmayer. Patricia O’Prey, senior counsel – investigations at GE Capital Americas, will moderate the panel.

“Arbitration is an excellent dispute-resolution tool – when it is used properly,” Hankinson says. “As someone who knows the process, I know it’s my job to keep things on track and to be fair to all. That’s what we plan to discuss.”

In addition to her appellate work, Hankinson’s nationally prominent practice includes serving in arbitrator and mediator roles in disputes. She serves on the Board of Directors of the American Arbitration Association and is a member of the association’s national roster of neutrals. She also consults with trial lawyers with regard to trial strategy and appellate briefs, offering insight as to how appellate courts might view critical issues.

Hankinson is also a former justice on the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas. She is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

Hankinson LLP, the preeminent civil appellate firm in the Southwest, provides clients with innovative legal insights and judicial perspective in all phases of litigation. The firm’s attorneys work with trial teams to develop strategies designed to put a case in the best position before, during, and after trial. Hankinson LLP represents national clients, regional companies, governmental bodies, and individuals with trial and appellate matters, and offers mediation and arbitration services as well. Learn more about the firm at http://hankinsonlaw.com.

For more information, please contact Mark Annick at 800-559-4534 or mark@androvett.com.