UH Law Center receives $1.25 million gift for mediation clinic

The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) has received a $1.25 million gift from alumnus Alan F. Levin and his wife, Diane, to endow the Mediation Clinic and enhance mediation training for students.

In recognition of the donation, the mediation clinic and the reception area for all UHLC clinics will be named in honor of the Levins.

“This very generous gift will be transformative in supercharging our already excellent mediation programming,” said UHLC Dean Leonard Baynes. “Together, the Levins and the UHLC will shepherd the next generation of legal mediators in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”

Alan Levin, a 1969 graduate of UHLC, was a classmate of John M. O’Quinn, after whom the law building is named. Both served on the editorial board of the Houston Law Review. Levin founded The Levin Law Group, P.C., in 1978 and has handled over 10,500 mediation cases throughout his career.

“My wife and I are deep believers in the mediation process, which I have pursued professionally for the past 37 years,” Levin said. “Whether it is war between two nations or a small local dispute, we are convinced that peaceful resolution of conflict is the world’s most powerful hope for long-term tranquility and prosperity.”

The Mediation Clinic at UHLC is one of 13 specialized clinics providing trained student mediators to justice courts in Harris County. These students mediate property disputes and breach-of-contract cases while developing their skills.

The Levins expressed their excitement about following examples set by friends and former classmates such as John M. O’Quinn, The Honorable Alvin Zimmerman, and Danny Sheena.

“We are delighted to underwrite the mediation clinic and its reception facility in UHLC,” Levin said. “We envision an annual harvest of bright young minds trained with skills to create a safer, happier, and more respectful future for all.”