Phylis J. Speedlin arbitrates and mediates hundreds of complex, multi-party disputes.  She delivers exceptional value by virtue of her four decades of experience as an appellate justice, district court judge, and trial lawyer.  Justice Speedlin served as a jurist for 13 years, 10 years as a Justice on the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals and three years as a Bexar County District Court trial judge. During her tenure on the Fourth Court of Appeals, Justice Speedlin authored more than 1,300 opinions, covering a myriad of legal issues, including personal injury, breach of contract, medical negligence, oil and gas, property rights, employment law, construction law, family law, and criminal law.

Since leaving the bench, Justice Speedlin has served as an arbitrator in complex cases nationwide. Justice Speedlin arbitrates for the American Arbitration Association and serves on the Healthcare, Commercial, Consumer, Employment, Appellate, and Construction rosters. Since 2013, she has arbitrated, as a single arbitrator and as a member of a panel, over three hundred arbitrations.

As a distinguished past litigator herself, Justice Speedlin mediates commercial, medical, contract, employment, appellate, oil and gas, products, and construction cases. A winner of the San Antonio Bar Journal’s Outstanding Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award, Justice Speedlin was also the recipient of the St. Thomas More Award from St. Mary’s University School of Law. She has been inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame and the Texas Chapter of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. 

Phylis served as President of the San Antonio Bar Association, Chair of the San Antonio Bar Foundation Advisory Committee, and Chair of the Community Justice Pro Bono Committee, among dozens of other service and board positions in bar and civic endeavors.  Justice Speedlin co-founded and chaired  the Community Justice Program, for which she was honored with the American Bar Association’s Harrison Tweed Outstanding Pro Bono Award and the State Bar of Texas Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award. 

Originally raised in Ohio, Justice Speedlin moved to San Antonio in 1970 during her service with the United States Army Nurse Corps.  She completed her undergraduate education in nursing at Incarnate Word College and obtained a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Trinity University in San Antonio.  She received her law degree, with distinction, from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

• St. Mary's University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas J.D. with distinction, 1983 (Member of the John M. Harlan Society)
• Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas - M.S. Health Care Administration, 1977, Honor Graduate
• Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, Texas, B.S. Nursing, 1975
• Pittsburgh Presbyterian University - Hospital School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Diploma - Registered Nurse, 1970 - Honor Graduate, President of Student Government

Member, State Bar of Texas

Member, American Board of Trial Advocates – San Antonio Chapter, 1997-present

Texas Bar Association, Pattern Jury Charges Oversight Committee, Vice-Chair 2005-2017; Volume 3, 1993-1995

Diplomate National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Texas Chapter, 2015 to present

State Bar of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Section 2016-present Member, ADR Section Council

Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

Member, Texas Bar Association ADR Section, 2012-present

Association of Attorney-Mediators, 2012-present

Member, San Antonio Bar Association; President 2010-2011; Officer or Director 2004-2009

Master, William S. Sessions American Inn of Court 2012-2016; Member, 1987-2001

                        Chair, Community Justice Pro Bono Committee, 2009-2013

Co-Founder and Co-Chair, San Antonio Community Justice Program, 2002-2008

Vice Chair, Program Committee, 2000-2006

Vice Chair, San Antonio District Courts Committee, 1997-1999; Member 2002

Member, Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2000-2001

Member, San Antonio Medical-Legal Liaison Committee, 1988-1990

Chair Advisory Committee, San Antonio Bar Foundation, 2011-2012

Member, San Antonio Women's Bar Association, 2000-present

Member, Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas, 2003-present

Member, ADR Section San Antonio Bar Association, 1997-1999; Treasurer, 1998-1999

$1750 per day per party for mediation. $900 per party for half day mediation. $600.00 per hour for arbitration, and private judging to be equally divided between the parties.