The Atlanta Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section has sponsored the Edward J. Henning Memorial Award for many years. This is a cash award given to an outstanding ADR student at each of the state’s five ABA-accredited law schools: Emory, Georgia, Mercer, Georgia State, and John Marshall. These awards are given in memory of Ed Henning, one of the “founding fathers” of mediation in Georgia.
Ms. Julianna Hightower was recently named as the award recipient for Georgia Law School. Julianne is originally from Macon, Georgia where she grew up the 2nd oldest of four girls. She followed in her older sister’s footsteps by attending the University of Georgia for undergraduate, where she majored in Criminal Justice and minored in Art History, Political Science, and Sociology. After graduation she went straight into UGA’s law school. Her first introduction to mediation came from her peer mentor, Nishka Malik (UGA Law 23’). It was on her advice that she entered the Mediation Practicum with Professor Rob McNiff over the summer between 1L and 2L. From there, Julianna fell in love with ADR and sought out opportunities to broaden her understanding of the field. As a 2L, she participated in the Mediation Clinic and joined the Negotiations Team. Later, she received the Cali award for Business Negotiations where Professor Daniel Serviansky helped her refine her understanding of what ADR is and hone her skills. As a 3L, Julianna had the opportunity to work alongside Paxton Murphy as Co-Chair of the Negotiations Team and continue to learn from Professor Serviansky as he served as the team’s coach. She also had the opportunity to travel to New York with Katie Wooten, an incredible team member, where they placed 2nd in the Cardozo CINEMA negotiations competition. Julianna will receive a certificate in ADR upon graduation from law school this May. Importantly, these are but a few of the opportunities and people who have positively impacted Julianna’s experience and understanding of mediation, and she hopes that one day come she can back to have the same positive impact on other students passionate about ADR and mediation. Looking forward, Julianna is excited to be working at Bendin, Sumrall, and Ladner LLC in Atlanta, Georgia.
When asked what she has learned in her studies about mediation, Julianna said, “Mediation is more than the opportunity to resolve cases, it is the opportunity to provide neutral guidance through interpersonal conflict and help people get to the root of the issue. It is a chance to understand the motive behind actions and reactions and facilitate creative, lasting solutions in a way courts are unable to do so. As mediators, we are facilitators, which means we provide the guidance and tools to help the parties communicate. I like this ability to empower others in often very difficult times. As the field grows and diversifies, I believe the effectiveness of dispute resolution will continue to supersede what can be achieved binary court decision making. The more perspectives and lived experiences that can shape the conversation at the mediation table, the more informed resolutions will be. “
Henning Mediation congratulates Ms. Julianna Hightower on this special accomplishment. Henning Mediation & Arbitration Service is a family-owned and operated dispute resolution group that has served Atlanta and the state of Georgia for the past 25+ years. A third-generation organization, clients count on Henning for a smooth, inviting, and reliable mediation process that fosters successful resolutions.