Mediation – Reyna Law

12 Years · Credentialed Mediator

Mediation. Resolve without the cost.

A hearing or a trial hands your outcome to someone else and bills you for the privilege. Mediation keeps the decision with the parties. Josh Reyna is a credentialed neutral and a practicing attorney with deep experience in the public sector, administrative proceedings, and rulemaking, and he brings that judgment to the table.

TMCA

Credentialed Mediator

Voluntary credential with annual renewal, continuing education, and an enforceable code of ethics.

40+

Mediation Training

40+ Hours of mediation training through the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at the University of Texas School of Law and the LBJ School of Public Policy.

Attorney

Licensed and Practicing

Not a retired neutral. A working Texas lawyer who reads the statute and the file.

Public

Sector Depth

Years inside agencies, contested cases, and rulemaking that most civil neutrals never see.

Published

Fees, No Surprises

Rates listed on this page. Pre-mediation review and drafting included.

Credentials

Why choose a credentialed mediator.

Texas does not license or certify mediators. Anyone can print a card that says the word. A credential is the only outside marker that a neutral has met a training floor, logged real mediations, and agreed to answer to a code of ethics. Josh Reyna holds a credential from the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association and keeps it current.

The credential is not a one-time badge.

It is earned once and defended every year after. Keeping it in good standing is what separates a credentialed neutral from someone who took a class a decade ago and never looked back.

Josh trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution through the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, a program run jointly by the University of Texas School of Law and the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and that pairing shapes how he works today. The training put legal reasoning and public policy in the same room. He learned to read a dispute the way a court would, finding the pressure points and the arguments that move a case, while also learning how deals get done when the parties answer to constituents, boards, or the public. He brings both to the table. When Josh mediates, he sees the legal exposure and the human and political stakes at once, which lets him build agreements that hold up rather than settlements that unravel. That blend of legal and policy judgment is why he resolves conflicts through negotiation and consensus instead of grinding every matter through litigation.

01

Conducted mediations

A minimum number of real mediations completed each year, not mock sessions or role plays.

02

15 hours continuing education

Every year, with at least three hours devoted specifically to mediation ethics.

03

Standards & Code of Ethics

Written agreement to the TMCA standards that govern how a credentialed mediator conducts every session.

04

Published grievance process

Any party may file a grievance. That accountability runs to an association outside this firm.

The Reyna Law Difference

A neutral both sides can trust.

Both sides have to agree on the neutral. Here is what makes Josh the name they agree on.

01 Credentialed and Accountable

The TMCA credential carries a training floor, a conducted-mediation minimum, annual continuing education including ethics, and a published grievance process any party can invoke. Josh renews it every year. You are hiring someone who answers to a standard outside this firm.

02 Public Sector & Administrative Depth

Josh spent years inside Texas government, working contested cases, agency practice, appropriations, and the rulemaking that follows legislation. When your dispute involves a state agency, a license, a permit, or a rule, that experience is not academic.

03 Rulemaking & Regulatory Fluency

Regulatory disputes turn on how a rule is written and how an agency will apply it. Josh has drafted the language, tracked it through adoption, and worked the negotiated rulemaking table. He understands both what a party wants and what an agency can actually agree to.

04 A Practicing Attorney, Not a Retired One

Josh is a licensed Texas lawyer with an active civil practice on both the plaintiff and defense sides. He reads the statute himself and evaluates the file the way a trial lawyer does.

05 Fees You Can See From Here

Rates are published on this page. Pre-mediation review, calls with counsel, drafting the agreement, and follow-up after an impasse are included. You should not need three emails to learn what a mediation costs.

06 Neutrality Protected in Writing

Every request runs a conflicts check before a date is held. If the matter touches a current or former client of Reyna Law or Garcia & Villarreal, we decline and say so. Experience informs the evaluation. It never attaches to a party.

What We Mediate

Disputes we take.

Public sector dispute resolution.

Administrative and regulatory disputes are where this practice stands apart. Josh is the rare neutral both sides can trust in public-sector disputes. He spent seventeen years inside the Legislature in both chambers, so he understands how governance and public accountability shape a settlement, and he also represents private clients, so he speaks their risk, not just the state’s. Under Government Code Chapter 2009, agencies can seat a private neutral by agreement, and both sides have to approve the pick.

Contested cases at the State Office of Administrative Hearings, licensing and permitting fights, enforcement actions, utility and rate proceedings, contract claims against state agencies under Government Code Chapter 2260, and negotiated rulemaking all turn on how agencies actually decide. These matters rarely turn on a single number. An agency protects the public interest. The party protects a license, a permit, or a livelihood. The resolution lives in the conditions and terms between those two goals, and mediation reaches it before a hearing takes the decision out of everyone’s hands. Josh knows that terrain from the inside: seventeen years in state government, TMCA credentialing, and training at the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at UT Law.

Sectors we know

Education

Healthcare

Energy

Utilities

Water

Environmental

Infrastructure

Land Use

Insurance

Licensing Boards

Economic Development

Small Business

Civil disputes we also take.

Personal Injury & Wrongful Death

Damages models, future care, and Haygood issues, evaluated by a mediator who builds these cases and defends them.

Auto & Trucking

Commercial policies, layered coverage, and comparative fault where the number turns on how a jury splits blame.

Premises Liability

Notice, control, third-party criminal conduct, and slip-and-fall. These cases live or die on facts both sides read differently.

Insurance & Coverage

Reservation of rights, excess exposure, and Stowers pressure. Familiar ground from years of carrier-side work.

Probate, Trust & Estate

Will contests, fiduciary claims, and family disputes where the legal question is rarely the hardest part.

Franchise

Franchisor and franchisee disputes over territory, fees, and termination, where an ongoing relationship may still hold value.

Fees

Published rates. Nothing hidden.

Most mediator websites make you email for a number. Here is ours. Fees are split evenly among the parties unless counsel agrees otherwise, and they are billed and due before the session.

Half Day

Per party · up to four hours

$1,000

Suited to two-party matters with a defined dispute and a manageable record. Includes pre-mediation review and drafting.

Full Day

Per party · up to eight hours

$2,000

The right choice for contested liability, administrative and regulatory matters, layered coverage, or any case where the gap is wide going in.

Additional charges

Additional party — $400 per party beyond the first two
Time beyond scheduled block — $250/hour per party.
Travel beyond 60 miles from Austin or McAllen — billed at cost
Late cancellation — half the scheduled fee inside seven days
Cancellation with notice — no charge at eight days or more

Included at no additional cost

Review of pre-mediation statements and exhibits
Pre-mediation calls with counsel or self-represented parties
A separate room for each party, in person or by video
Drafting the written settlement agreement
Follow-up contact with both sides after an impasse

How It Works

From First Conversation to Final Agreement.

Nothing about the day should catch you off guard. These six steps carry a dispute from the first confidential call to a signed agreement both sides can live with.

01 Before the Date

A confidential pre-mediation call with each side, separately. The mediator learns the interests behind the positions, and the parties exchange only what they choose to share. Pre-mediation statements arrive marked confidential and go to the mediator alone, never to a presiding judge.

02 Introductory Statements

The mediator opens by explaining the process, setting ground rules, and answering questions. This is where confidentiality gets confirmed on the record so everyone speaks freely from the start.

03 Opening Statements From the Parties

Each side gets uninterrupted time to lay the issues on the table. The goal is not to prove who is right. It is to establish what actually needs to be resolved.

04 Questions and Issue Identification

An open exchange to surface the questions that move a case toward settlement, followed by a clear list of the specific issues an agreement must address.

05 Caucus and Brainstorming

Private sessions in separate rooms. The mediator carries offers and questions between sides, and nothing shared in confidence crosses the hall without permission.

06 Offer, Negotiation, and Agreement

Offers and counteroffers move through caucus until the gap closes. When the parties reach terms, the agreement is reduced to writing and signed before the session ends.

If the case settles

A hearing or trial is avoided, and both sides save the cost, delay, and uncertainty that come with handing the decision to someone else. Because mediation carries no jurisdictional limits, the parties can resolve issues a judge has no power to reach.

If It Does Not

Nothing said in mediation is admissible, and both sides keep the exact legal positions they walked in with. The matter proceeds to a contested case hearing or trial before a different decision maker, as if the mediation never happened.

Reviews

What clients say.

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Brittany Rusciano-Readio 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My husband and I had such a wonderful experience working with Larissa. She took what initially felt like an overwhelming and complicated process and broke it down into clear, understandable steps. Larissa struck the perfect balance of professionalism and relatability. She was patient with our many questions and always provided thoughtful, unbiased information to help guide our decisions about the future. We truly felt supported every step of the way. I would highly recommend Texas Estate Plans for anyone looking for compassionate, knowledgeable guidance in estate planning.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Adam Readio 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Comprehensive and smooth.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jene Crofford 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Larissa Garcia Reyna was very knowledgeable and helpful in helping us to get our Trust completed. Truthfully we had been it putting off , thinking it would be a difficult process.  But , with her help and guidance we were pleasantly surprised that we were able to get it done in a timely and painstaking manner.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jared Barker 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. we just had a great experience with the Reyna law firm, setting up a trust and will!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jose Duran 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Muy excelente servicio, facilitan todo y su profesionalidad es completa
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jason Koltz 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had the pleasure of working with Larissa at Reyna Law and was truly impressed by her professionalism and thoughtful approach. She’s detailed, patient, and has a great way of making the estate planning process feel manageable and well-organized. If you're looking for someone who brings both deep knowledge and genuine care to the table, Larissa and the team at Reyna Law are an excellent choice.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jason Ehlinger | Taika CEO 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had the pleasure of working with Reyna Law on an estate planning case, providing virtual interpretation services in Russian for one of their clients. Throughout the process, their team was professional, respectful, and exceptionally attentive to their clients’ needs. It was clear that they prioritize clear communication and truly care about making legal matters accessible to everyone.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Joe H 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great experience! Very knowledgeable
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Erika Malhotra 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Such a great experience with Larissa!  She made the not so fun task of estate planning so easy and straightforward.  We also asked for a quick turnaround leading up to an international trip and they got it done for us, which was amazing.  Highly recommend!!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alexander Fones 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Josh Reyna walked us through the living trust agreement so clearly and well. He’s the best.

FAQ

What counsel and parties ask.

Is a credentialed mediator the same as a certified mediator?

No, and the difference matters. Texas does not license or certify mediators. Chapter 154.052 sets a 40-hour training standard, but no state body issues a certification. A TMCA credential is a voluntary designation requiring documented training, a minimum of conducted mediations, annual continuing education, and adherence to a code of ethics with a grievance process. Anyone advertising a state certification is describing something that does not exist.

Do you handle administrative and regulatory disputes?

Yes, and it is the core of the practice. Contested cases, licensing and permitting disputes, enforcement matters, Chapter 2260 contract claims, and negotiated rulemaking all benefit from a neutral who has worked inside Texas government and understands how an agency reaches a decision it can defend.

Are agency mediations confidential if the government is a party?

Mediation communications are confidential under Section 154.073 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Keep in mind that when a state agency is a party, the final written agreement itself may be subject to the Texas Public Information Act. The negotiation stays private. The signed resolution may not.

Is the outcome binding?

The mediation is not binding and nobody can force a settlement on you. If the parties reach terms and sign a written agreement, that agreement is enforceable, which is why the paper gets signed before anyone leaves.

You represent plaintiffs and defendants. How is that neutral?

Fair question, and the reason conflicts get screened before any date is held. If a matter involves a current or former client of Reyna Law or Garcia & Villarreal, we decline. Working across the docket sharpens the read both rooms receive. It never attaches the mediator to a party.

What should we submit before the date?

A short description of the dispute, the key documents or authority you want reviewed, a summary of prior offers, and a candid note on what your side needs to resolve it and what you believe the other side needs. Mark everything confidential and send it to the mediator only, never to the presiding judge.

Can we use a private mediator on a SOAH contested case?

Yes. Under SOAH Rule 155.351, parties may agree to retain a qualified non-SOAH mediator instead of a SOAH judge, so long as the mediator meets the Chapter 154 qualifications and the parties handle the mediator’s fee. The parties notify the presiding judge within ten days of retention.

Can an agency or a judge send a case to mediation without our agreement?

In the SOAH setting a judge may refer a case to mediation, and an agency may refer a case as well. Even when referral is not voluntary, the outcome always is. No one can force you to settle.

How do we know if our dispute is a good fit for mediation?

Strong candidates share a few traits. The facts are knowable rather than turning entirely on witness credibility, the parties want an outcome a judge could not order, an ongoing relationship is worth preserving, or the cost of a full hearing outweighs what is at stake.

Who needs to attend, and what authority must they bring?

Bring the people directly involved in the dispute and, critically, someone with full authority to settle. Mediating with a decision-maker on the phone rarely works. For agency matters, the representatives assigned to the case attend with settlement authority.

Is the mediator protected from being called as a witness later?

Yes. Under Texas law a mediator cannot be compelled to testify about what happened in mediation or to produce documents submitted during it, and impartial third parties carry a qualified immunity for their role.

What is negotiated rulemaking, and do you handle it?

Negotiated rulemaking is a consensus process where an agency develops a proposed rule with a neutral facilitator and a balanced committee representing every affected interest. It is a natural fit for a neutral with real rulemaking and legislative experience.

How quickly can we get a date?

We respond to requests within one business day. Half-day and video sessions can usually be scheduled inside two to three weeks depending on the calendar.

Can the session be conducted in Spanish?

Yes. Sessions run in English or Spanish. A party should understand every word of a settlement before signing it.

Schedule Today

Check a date.
We're Ready to Mediate for You.

Send the case style, the parties, and a few dates that work for all sides. We confirm availability, clear conflicts, and follow up within one business day.

CALL

CALL (512) 777-1486 or (956) 332-3306

EMAIL

INFO@REYNALAW.COM

Request a mediation date

Your Name

Firm or Agency

Phone

Case Style

Court, Agency, or Cause Number

You Represent

Type of Dispute

Case Type

Preferred Dates

A party will need the session conducted in Spanish

Requesting a date does not create an attorney-client relationship. Josh Reyna serves as a neutral in mediated matters.