Awards & Client Reviews

Published Awards

Clint ISD v Gomez – Findings of Fact and Conlcusions of Law – March 13 2023

IHE’s Recommendation to Dallas ISD – Re: Nuttal – April 28 2021

Randolph Sheppard Award – Colorado State Business Enterprise Program et al v. USAF, Schriever Space Force Base – September 29 2022

City of Denton, Texas Fire Department Civil Service Commission Administrative Appeal – November 18 2022

Salvo Parenti Grievance – March 6 2022

Brownsville Fire Fighters Association and City of Brownsville – October 29 2021

Client Reviews

The following excerpts are taken from letters, cards, and emails from counsel and clients regarding Mr. Peña’s arbitration and mediation skills:

Counsel for Mediation Litigant (AK, Attorney, Houston, TX):
“Mr. Pena. Thank you for your efforts in a challenging case. You took the time to dig into the facts and understand the nature of the problem which, as you probably know, not all mediators choose to do. I wish you continued success.”

Counsel for Mediation Litigant (SK, Attorney, Arlington, TX):
“Mr. Pena successfully mediated my nine-year old lawsuit over the ownership of real property. I could not be more pleased.”

Counsel for Mediation Litigant (CP, Attorney, Arlington, TX):
“For more than 12 years, I mediated thousands of cases each year. My mediation with Mr. Pena was the single best experience I’ve ever had with a mediator. Mr. Pena knew the facts and the law and did a phenomenal job communicating that knowledge AND did it without making my client believe he needed to take what was being offered because it wasn’t going to get any better. He treated my client with more respect than I’ve ever had a mediator give. The best mediation experience in three decades of practice. Thank you.”

Counsel for Mediation Litigant (LG, Attorney, Fort Worth):
“Mr. Pena handled a very difficult matter in the most professional and effective manner. We were able to reach a settlement on a case where the parties had been litigating for many years thanks to his expertise and assistance.”

Counsel for Mediation Litigant (CC, Attorney, Fort Worth)
“Mr. Peña was fantastic! I would be happy to have him as a mediator in future cases. He was very professional and able to bring closure to a difficult family law case.”
( Family Law Mediation in Fort Worth )

Counsel for Arbitration Litigant (SA, Attorney, Austin, Texas)
“I highly recommend Diego J. Peña as a fair and impartial arbitrator. I did not know Arbitrator Peña until I litigated a hotly contested case before him. He has a judicial and calming demeanor and is unflappable. His years of experience as a sophisticated litigator are evident from how he conducted the proceedings and showed respect for all those participating. This is a real plus compared to some of the retired judges who have been away from the practice for a long time.

Both sides of the bar agree you want an arbitrator who will pay close attention to the testimony and details of the case, will be thoughtful and open-minded about the legal and evidentiary issues, but will also be decisive and timely in making decisions. Arbitrator Peña did exactly that: he let the parties put their evidence on without a lot of interference but wasn’t afraid to reign both sides in when they got repetitive, as he would let counsel know that the point was made and understood.

Arbitrator Peña did his best to keep the proceedings on track in keeping with the goals of arbitration to be efficient. He was timely with his decision, which was well thought out and reflected that he carefully considered the relevant issues from both sides. For over 39 years I’ve tried cases before juries, judges and arbitrators for both plaintiffs and defendants. I would happily appear again before Arbitrator Peña.”
( Employment Arbitration Hearing in El Paso, Texas )

Counsel for Arbitration Litigant (JG, Attorney, Dallas Texas)
“Mr. Peña presided over our multi-day arbitration involving complex employment claims asserted under Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, and Section 1981. There were a number of complicated legal issues and a convoluted factual background that spread out over several years of the employment relationship. Moreover, our client – a governmental entity – operated in a sub-specialty of the healthcare industry that is not particularly easy for a non-healthcare professional to understand. Despite this, Mr. Peña was able to quickly and thoroughly grasp the legal and factual issues necessary to deciding the dispute. We found Mr. Peña to be intelligent, hard-working, and impartial. There were several heated moments during the hearing but Mr. Peña’s command of the proceedings, calm and friendly demeanor, and evident impartiality kept the parties on track. At the arbitration’s conclusion, all parties and their attorneys, including our adversaries, indicated they felt Mr. Peña strived to be objective and fair to both sides during the arbitration process. We would highly recommend Mr. Peña as an arbitrator or mediator.”
( Employment Arbitration Hearing in Fort Worth, Texas ).

Counsel for Arbitration Litigant (SR, Attorney, Dallas, Texas)
“I appreciated your candor and patience throughout the arbitration process, particularly during the hearing.”
( Employment Arbitration Hearing in Dallas, TX )

Mediation Litigant
“Thanks for honestly assessing our dispute and keeping us on track. This was not an easy case to settle.”
( Age Discrimination case pending in federal court in Fort Worth, TX )

Construction Litigation Mediation; Counsel for Litigant (RB, Attorney, San Antonio, TX)
“I just wanted to thank you for helping us settle our case. Frankly, I did not think we would settle, but your “can-do” attitude was the difference.”
( Construction case filed in federal court in San Antonio, TX ).