William Rudge (Bill) has successfully mediated cases in divorce, family law, child support, child custody, child protection, spousal maintenance, divorce financial issues, property and debt, retirement and pension, civil litigation and as a contract mediator with the Office of Dispute Resolution. Bill has a gift for developing rapport between all parties to get to the essential points of a case quickly and to resolve high conflict situations effectively. For these and other reasons, Colorado Springs Magazine has cited Bill as one of the top mediators.
MEDIATION AND LEGAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
- As part of establishing a successful ODR mediation program, Bill interacted with Magistrates, Judges and relevant agencies to make sure the process was meeting the needs of the clients. He has worked with hundreds of attorneys and believes he has helped innumerable litigants safely navigate the stresses and trauma of the legal system. He has also advocated for the rights of clients in court.
- Bill has worked with thousands of pro se litigants as an attorney and mediator and continues to do so. A pro se litigant is an individual who is not represented by an attorney.
- For over twenty years, Bill mediated cases as a contract mediator in the 4th Judicial District (Colorado Springs).
- In addition to his previous experience as a contract mediator in the State of Colorado since the summer of 2021, Bill mediates D & N cases for the 9th Judicial District. He also mediates domestic ODR cases in that district.
- He has acquired substantial experience working with child support and maintenance guidelines. He has written countless Memorandums of Understanding for submission to the court.
- Throughout the years, Bill has worked with accountants in cases involving more complex financial issues.
- Proficient in Spanish. As of 2022 on behalf of ODR, Bill conducts Spanish speaking mediations across the state and has had frequent involvement with families broken by immigration issues. He has also represented numerous Spanish speaking clients and has volunteered in projects designed to assist the Hispanic community.
- He continues helping clients from all over the world navigate through the recessions and upheavals that have affected society over the last quarter of a century and has had years of experience with cases involving military personnel returning from traumatic deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- He has received extensive training regarding the dynamics of domestic violence. He has participated in training panels teaching mediators and attorneys about the dynamics of domestic violence.
- Bill currently has a contract with The Office of Child Representative in Colorado representing the best interest of minors in child protection, juvenile delinquency and domestic cases. He attends trainings, works with social workers, mental health professionals, probation officers, wrap around facilitators and attends staffings several times a week.
- He currently also contracts as a Guardian Ad Litem for adults mostly in child protection and domestic relations cases.
- On a daily basis Bill works with families suffering from trauma and drug addiction as well as families ravaged by domestic violence and child abuse.
HISTORY
Bill has been a licensed attorney in the State of Colorado and in good standing since 1986. After 10 years as a trial lawyer, Bill found his true calling in the field of mediation. While a young prosecutor, Bill conducted dozens of jury trials and hundreds of court trials. He observed the adversarial nature of the legal system and realized he could change the conversation. Bill discovered very quickly that through his own work he could resolve matters within a brief amount of time - much quicker than his colleagues - while reasoning with antagonistic parties.
When Bill changed sides, becoming a criminal and juvenile defense attorney, he enjoyed the same level of success while advocating for just resolutions for his clients. Judges in his judicial district learned to appoint difficult cases and personalities to Bill.
When a judge approached Bill and asked if he ever considered going into mediation, it flipped a switch.
Bill decided that it was time to reinvent his own career. He immediately sought expert training from CDR & Associates in Boulder, Colorado in 1992 and began volunteer mediating. This led the El Paso County Office of Dispute Resolution in Colorado Springs, CO to hire him in 1995 as its first attorney mediator.
During his years in the Office of Dispute Resolution he was instrumental in establishing one of the first successful child protection mediation programs in the country - the program became a national model.
Bill has been an independent, sole proprietor of his business for 30 of his 36 years as a professional. He is an excellent motivated consultant, a mentor and through his career, he has connected with a vast array of resources and experts to increase his ever-expanding knowledge in the field of mediation.
He received his B.A. from Colorado College and his J.D. from the St. Louis University School of Law.
After 30 years in the field of mediation he still enjoys helping families and clients resolve conflicts. He remains committed to the people of this state.
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