JAMS announces the addition of Hon. Steven E. Kirkland (Former) to its panel. Judge Kirkland joins JAMS after serving as a judge for 16 years, including eight years in the 334th Civil District Court and the 215th Civil District Court in Harris County, Texas.
Based in the Houston Resolution Center, Judge Kirkland will serve as an arbitrator and mediator, handling business and commercial, personal injury and torts, civil rights, construction, employment, energy and utilities, environmental, health care, real property, insurance, accounting and finance, and government and public agency disputes.
Prior to joining the bench, Judge Kirkland served as senior assistant city attorney for the City of Houston, where he counseled the city’s chief development officer and city attorney on economic development projects. He also spent four years in private practice representing environmental tort plaintiffs and small businesses, as well as eight years as in-house counsel for an international oil company, providing representation in many legal areas, the negotiation and drafting of transaction documents, litigation management, representation before regulatory agencies and compliance counseling. Judge Kirkland is active in promoting drug and alcohol addiction recovery programs, affordable housing, historic preservation and LGBT rights.
Judge Kirkland received his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center.