Mediation News

National Mediation Board

Re: Fitzmaurice Designated NMB Chairman

Washington, D.C. -- The National Mediation Board (NMB) is pleased to announce that Edward J. Fitzmaurice, Jr., has been designated Chairman of the National Mediation Board, effective July 1, 2006. Chairman Fitzmaurice, a Member of the National Mediation Board since August 2, 2002, also served as Chairman from July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004. He was nominated to the NMB by President Bush on November 9, 2001, and confirmed by the United States Senate on August 2, 2002.

The National Mediation Board is an independent Federal agency established by the Railway Labor Act, which governs labor-management relations of nearly 500 railroads and 100 airlines in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and the US territories. The other members of the Board are Mr. Harry R. Hoglander and Ms Read Van de Water.

After graduating from Villanova University, Member Fitzmaurice served four and a half years as an Officer of Marines. He was designated a Naval Aviator, and served in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam as a Captain and Aircraft Commander, receiving several decorations including the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and 11 strike/flight Air Medals, the Presidential Unit Citation and Navy Unit Commendation.

Upon release from active duty, Member Fitzmaurice became a pilot for Braniff International and served as a domestic and international Captain, Co-Pilot, and Flight Engineer.

Simultaneously with piloting for Braniff, he attended the Southern Methodist University School of Law and was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in 1971. Member Fitzmaurice is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.

He was an associate with the firm of Kern, Wooley and Maloney representing Underwriters at Lloyd's in aviation-related matters and was Of Counsel to the labor law firm of James L. Hicks and Associates, both in Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Fitzmaurice and his wife Marcia have two grown children; daughter Carey is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., and son Evan is an attorney in private practice in Los Angeles, California.

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	Did You Know?
	The mediation process may vary depending on the mediator. Generally, mediations commence with a general session with all parties, counsel and the mediator. At the general session, there will be a discussion of the case, the issues on appeal and other matters important to settlement. Then the mediator will meet separately with each party and their counsel in separate "caucuses." In these separate sessions, the mediator will seek to foster negotiations between the parties and develop agreement.