Patrick Russell

Patrick has been a Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil Circuit Court Mediator since 2009 and has been practicing law since 1994. Before joining Salmon & Dulberg as a full-time mediator, he was a Trial Partner at Lydecker | Diaz, where he also created and led the firm’s first statewide Mediation Division. Additionally, Patrick managed his own law firm for almost twenty years and also worked with The Florida Bar as an ethics trial lawyer.

Patrick’s diverse legal experience includes insurance law and first-party property claims, high-exposure personal injury claims, premises liability, business disputes and commercial litigation, fraud, real estate and condominiums, and ethics and professional responsibility.

Patrick is an active leader with The Florida Bar, where he serves on the Executive Council for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and is a member of the Governmental Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Patrick is the past Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2021-2022) and was honored to lead and organize the “Be Well Stay Well” Health and Wellness Series for The Florida Bar, a highly successful six-part health and wellness program for Florida lawyers.

Health and wellness are important issues for Patrick, professionally and personally. Personally, Patrick has sought to honor the memory of our combat veterans and to bring greater awareness to the effects of combat trauma by conducting oral history interviews of veterans through his non-profit organization, the Making History Project.

Many litigators leave behind a legacy of conflict. Throughout his career, Patrick takes pride in the fact that he has maintained mutual respect with opposing counsel, many of whom are now friends and clients. With consistency, honesty, and respect as his guiding principles, Patrick prides himself on having a reputation as a relationship-builder.

Patrick regularly presents for continuing legal education programs on the topics of dispute resolution, mediation, and negotiation to help lawyers obtain better outcomes for their cases. Likewise, Patrick regularly updates his blog with articles and tips on enhancing and improving negotiation and mediation outcomes. Of particular interest are the roles of neuroscience, psychology, risk assessment, and valuation in negotiation.

Given his extensive experience as both a Plaintiff and Defense lawyer, Patrick understands the needs and pressures from both sides that surface during a case, which provides an enhanced perspective for conflict resolution as a mediator. Patrick’s mediation strategies rest on a powerful foundation of tactical thinking, ethics, and professionalism. He uses a thoughtful and integrated approach to problem-solving by fostering an environment that promotes collaboration, information sharing, and meaningful discussions between the parties. His mediation goal is to unleash peace for less conflict and more resolution.