Bernadette BoasExecutive Leadership Coach, Trainer and Speaker, Ball of Fire Coaching · Become the Leader Everyone Wants to Follow and No One Can Overlook.

From Trial Lawyer to Mediator: She Knows What Costs Too Much!

26 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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1:19

In this introductory segment, host A presents guest Felicia Harris Haas, a former trial partner who transitioned to a full‑time independent mediator and arbitrator in Houston, Texas. Haas is highlighted as a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and a Texas Super Lawyer in alternative dispute resolution. The conversation frames her shift from advocacy to neutrality not as a rejection of courtroom work but as a response to clients’ unmet needs that litigation cannot satisfy. Haas’s unique perspective—having sat on both sides of the courtroom—gives her insight into what leaders do right or wrong in disputes and the tangible costs of waiting too long to resolve conflicts. The host promises listeners will gain an “aha” moment about leveraging mediators to achieve timely, confident resolutions without resorting to further litigation.

Chapters

My guest Felicia Harris Haas spent years as a trial partner inside regional and national law firms. She sat across the table from the other side and fought. And then she chose to become neutral, not because she stopped believing in advocacy, but because she could see that what clients actually needed was something the courtroom was not built to provide. Today, she's a full-time independent mediator and arbitrator. In Houston, Texas. A member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, she's recognized amongst the best leaders in America and a Texas Super Lawyer in alternative dispute resolution. She sat on both sides of the table. She knows what leaders get wrong, what they get right, and exactly what it costs to wait too long. I think our listeners and watchers are going to be pleasantly surprised and really kind of like, aha, about how they could be really walking in confidently, uh, to any dispute or any issue that they're having, recognizing that there's this support system called a mediator there, uh, to, to help them get to a resolution without it having to go further than that.