Featured Candidate - Gene Roberts
Born in Dallas, but raised in Southeast Texas, Gene is the first member of his immediate family to graduate from college. He lives in East Dallas with his wife, Celeste Chang Roberts, an elementary school nurse for Dallas ISD, and his new son, Jack.
Gene graduated cum laude from Lamar University, where he majored in political science and minored in psychology. Gene carried a 4.0 grade point average in his major. He then attended the University of Houston, working as a teaching assistant for the university and part-time for a law firm, and was awarded a master's degree in political science. In 1998, Gene received his law degree from Southern Methodist University. During law school, Gene was an articles editor for the SMU Law Review and was President of the Student Bar Association. In his second year of law school, Gene successfully implemented a service program where law students helped low-income individuals prepare their tax returns, a program that continues to operate at the law school. He was selected by his peers to receive the John Kennedy Scholarship, in recognition as the outstanding male graduate of the class.
As part of his training and education as a mediator, Gene attended classes at the University of Texas School of Law and Pepperdine University's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Gene's represented plaintiffs and defendants, individuals and international companies, in a wide variety of litigation. Gene started his legal career in the litigation section of a mid-sized law firm (where he also worked during law school), and then in the trial section of a global law firm. For the last four years, Gene has worked as a solo practitioner, providing him the opportunity to develop his mediation practice. Texas Super Lawyers recognized Gene's legal work by naming him a Rising Star in the field of business litigation.
Gene currently serves as President of the Association for Conflict Resolution's Dallas Chapter, Secretary of the Dallas Bar Association's Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, and was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of Mediators.
He has served as a coach for a moot court team for the SMU Law School and participated in the Dallas Bar's e-mentor program. He has also addressed elementary school students about the importance of careers and attending college.
Gene is also an active member at Northway Christian Church, having served as the Board Secretary. He currently serves on its Outreach Ministry and as a teacher to high school students. Gene has made four mission trips to central Honduras, where he helped build latrines, install chimneys, and poured concrete floors for homes. He has participated in post-hurricane relief efforts in Slidell, Louisiana and Lake Charles, Louisiana.
