Faculty & Staff

Professor of Law and Director of the Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution

Debra Berman

Education
B.S., Georgetown University
J.D., American University Washington College of Law

Areas of Expertise
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Mediation
Skills and Clinical Teaching

Debra Berman is Professor of Law and Director of the Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution at South Texas College of Law Houston. Her course load includes the Mediation Clinic, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation Theory & Practice, and the 40-Hour Mediation Training which is open to both students and practicing attorneys. In 2019, Professor Berman created the Inter-School Negotiation Practicum which has brought together almost 2,400 students from 45 law schools for a unique monthlong experiential negotiation opportunity.  In addition, Professor Berman coordinates all of the ADR competition teams that South Texas College of Law Houston sends to tournaments and has personally coached a number of teams to national and international first place wins. In addition to directing STCL’s renown ADR competition program, she also founded the law school’s very own Law Energy Law Negotiation Competition in 2015. Professor Berman has presented on various dispute resolution topics for the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, State Bar of Texas, Texas Association of Mediators, and the Houston Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution and she is co-chair of the ABA Legal Education and Dispute Resolution Committee. She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law where she was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus

James J. Alfini

James J. Alfini is professor of law and dean emeritus and serves as a senior fellow in the Frank Evans Center. Previously, he was professor of law at Northern Illinois University College of Law where he taught Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibility, Mediation, and related courses. Dean Alfini served as Dean of the NIU College of Law from 1991 to 1997. Prior to NIU Dean Alfini was a member of the faculty at Florida State University College of Law where he was Director of Education and Research at the Florida Dispute Resolution Center, a joint program of the FSU College of Law and the Supreme Court of Florida. He was on the original Mediation and Arbitration Rules Committee of the Supreme Court of Florida and chaired the Standards Subcommittee. He has served as the chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Association of American Law Schools and the chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the American Bar Association. He has numerous publications in the fields of dispute resolution and judicial ethics, including two co-authored books published by Lexis Publishing: Judicial Conduct and Ethics and Mediation Theory and Practice.

Vice President, Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, Professor of Law, and Director of the Pro Bono Honors Program

Catherine Greene Burnett

Education
B.A., The University of Texas
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law

Areas of Expertise
Capital Punishment
Criminal Procedure
International Criminal Law
Skills and Clinical Teaching

Professor Burnett received a B.A. and J.D. for the University of Texas. After clerking for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, she practiced in Texas both as a prosecutor and defense attorney. She is board certified in criminal law and criminal appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Burnett has taught national and state criminal procedure, international criminal law and procedure, and seminars on the death penalty. In her Associate Dean role she oversees the law school’s clinical programs and pro bono volunteer initiatives. As a clinical professor, she launched the law school’s first direct representation clinic and subsequently has taught in an array of law school’s clinic and externships classes. She is an active instructor and speaker for legal education and training programs in Texas and internationally, and has been active in bar service at local, state and national levels. Burnett is passionate about criminal justice and social policy issues, as well as both criminal and civil models for dispute resolution. She comes to her work with a focus on developing the critical competencies and values the next generation of lawyers will need to serve, lead, and thrive.

Program Administrator for the Frank Evans Center

Johnathan Trimble

Johnathan Trimble is the program administrator for the Frank Evans Center. Johnathan graduated from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2017 after attending the University of Texas for his undergraduate degree. Johnathan is a certified mediator and was extremely active with the ADR program in law school, having competed in a number of negotiation and mediation competitions. In addition to helping coach all the ADR teams, Johnathan was the lead coach for the first-place team at the 2018 International Law School Mediation Tournament and the 2020 Sports Law Negotiation Competition. In his spare time, Johnathan enjoys engaging in political volunteer work.

Adjunct Professor

Scott Fraser

Scott Fraser graduated from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2014 and is currently an associate attorney at McDonald Worley. Scott’s practice focuses on product liability civil litigation and settlement resolution. His experience led to his appointment on both the Plaintiff Steering Committees for Ethicon Proceed and Prolene Hernia Mesh System in the New Jersey Multi-County Litigation case.

Scott was recognized by Texas Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Product Liability litigation for both 2021 and 2022. Scott currently coaches the ABA Representation in Mediation tournament and serves as an adjunct professor at STCL Houston with a focus on Negotiations.

Adjunct Professor

Morgan Gaskin Thomas

Morgan teaches the Negotiation course at South Texas College of Law Houston. Morgan is a senior negotiations manager at Accenture’s Negotiations Center of Excellence. In her capacity as a negotiation manager, Morgan serves as lead business negotiator on complex transactions and disputes across all business units and advises and coaches deal teams on negotiation approaches to strategic transactions. She also conducts workshops for senior executives to help reinforce effective negotiation techniques. Prior to her role in the Negotiation Center of Excellence, Morgan was a Senior Litigation Counsel in Accenture’s Litigation and Dispute Management Team. Morgan is a 2006 graduate of Cornell Law School.

Adjunct Professor

Roger Greenberg

Roger Greenberg is an Adjunct Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law Houston where he teaches Arbitration Law and a seminar entitled Trends in ADR & Litigation. Mr. Greenberg is a founding partner with Sponsel, Miller, & Greenberg. His practice focuses primarily on civil litigation, securities disputes, and arbitration.

Among other career highlights, Greenberg was a member of the Plaintiff’s lead trial team for the Enron securities class action and has argued in front of the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Greenberg is also an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and is a member of the Chartered Institutes of Arbitrators. In 2007, Greenberg was named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers.

Adjunct Professor

Lori Kern

Lori teaches the Collaborative Law class twice a year to current students and practicing attorneys. Lori has been practicing since 2009 and has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2015.

In 2018, and 2019, Lori was selected as a Texas Rising Star in Family Law by Super Lawyers Magazine, and was named a Top Lawyer by Houstonia Magazine in 2018.

Adjunct Professor

Denise Peterson

Denise Peterson is a full-time mediator and arbitrator. Graduating from South Texas in 2010, she became an associate for Morgan Lewis where she worked on matters relating to the housing crisis, asbestos defense, employment, and general civil litigation. She is licensed in Texas and New York and is a qualified solicitor to the senior courts of England and Wales. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a past vice chair of the North American Branch. Denise teaches Negotiation for Litigators and co-directs the Mediation Clinic.

Adjunct Professor

Robert C. Rice 

Robert Rice has regularly served as an adjunct professor at STCL for more than 25 years. Most recently, Robert has taught ADR and Arbitration. Robert is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. In addition to his employment law practice primarily representing businesses, Robert is a busy arbitrator and mediator. Robert is a member of the national panel of arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association and a member of the AAA’s panel of Master Mediator. Robert’s case load as a neutral includes employment related matters, commercial business to business disputes, and health care matters.

Rachel Davis

Rachel graduated from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2016. During law school, she was a member of the ABA Client Counseling Competition team and has coached the Client Counseling teams for the last several years. Prior to law school, Rachel was a paralegal for ten years and she now practices family and criminal law.

McKensie East

McKensie East graduated from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2022. During her time at STCL, she was active in the Real Estate and Construction Law Society as well as the ADR Program. McKensie was named the 2021-2022 ABA Negotiation Regional Champion in her first ever competition, and now assists in coaching the ABA Negotiation Competition team. McKensie also coaches the Transatlantic Negotiation Competition Team, along with her former teammate and co-champion Vikesh Patel. McKensie is currently Legal Counsel at Caldwell Companies where she advises and assists on almost every aspect of real estate development, from acquisition and operations to disposition. 

Kimberly Fojtik

Kimberly Fojtik graduated from STCL Houston in May 2020 and is an associate at Gieger Laborde & Laperouse, LLC. During law school, Kimberly was a varsity ADR and moot court advocate. She was also a member of the South Texas Law Review Real Estate and Construction Law Journal and a member of the Garland Walker Inn of Courts. Kimberly is currently co-coaching the ABA Representation in Mediation Competition. 

Urvashi Morolia

Urvashi is currently an associate at Littler Mendelson where she focuses on employment law. Prior to joining Littler, Urvi worked as a Prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. During her time at South Texas College of Law Houston, Urvashi competed on numerous ADR competition teams and was the 2016 champion of the St. John’s Securities Dispute Resolution Triathlon, a competition which she now coaches. Prior to moving to Houston, Urvi worked with a boutique litigation firm in Mumbai, India.

Elizabeth Nevle

Elizabeth Nevle graduated from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2021 and is an associate at Foley & Lardner LLP. During law school, Elizabeth was a varsity ADR and moot court advocate. With her partner, she won the National Sports Law Negotiation Competition in 2021. She also served as the Editor in Chief of CURRENTS: Journal of International Economic Law in addition to serving as a Langdell Scholar and research assistant. Elizabeth currently co-coaches the National Sports Law Negotiation Competition and the ABA Negotiation Competition.

Vikesh Patel

Vikesh Patel graduated from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2022. Vikesh is an intellectual property and business attorney at Kearney, McWilliams & Davis, PLLC in Houston. Prior to earning his JD, Vikesh got his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering, along with a minor in Business Law, from the University of Miami. In addition, he has a Master of Science in Finance. While in law school, Vikesh competed in Negotiation competitions and won the fall 2022 ABA Negotiation Competition, which he now helps coach. Vikesh also coaches the Transatlantic Negotiation Competition Team, along with his former teammate and co-champion McKensie East.

Ashley Reilly

Ashley graduated from South Texas College of Law in May 2020 and is currently an associate practicing family law. During law school, Ashley competed in several ADR competitions including the ABA Negotiation Competition, ABA Representation in Mediation Competition, and the ABA Client Counseling Competition. Also during law school, Ashley worked in the Frank Evans Center for Conflict Resolution and assisted with all aspects of the ADR program. Ashley is currently co-coaching the ABA Client Counseling Competition.