About Us
Laura K. Cline
Laura brings a unique blend of legal expertise, corporate insight, and refined communication skills to every mediation. With nearly a decade in the legal field, she has extensive experience as both a litigator specializing in labor law, employment law, workers' compensation, and ERISA, and as in-house corporate counsel in the employee benefits arena. This background gives her a firsthand understanding of complex business challenges, from navigating intricate regulations to resolving sensitive employee relations. She understands the practical impact of disputes on a company's bottom line, reputation, and people.
Laura's prior decade as an English instructor uniquely equips her as a mediator. This experience, combined with her litigation background, honed her active listening, clear articulation, and persuasive communication skills —skills vital for fostering productive dialogue and finding common ground. She excels at cutting through legal jargon, helping parties understand their options and articulate their interests effectively.
As a mediator, Laura leverages this comprehensive background to facilitate fair, practical, and lasting resolutions. Her approach creates a neutral, respectful environment where all parties feel heard and empowered to craft their own solutions. She understands the legal, human, and business elements at play. Her goal is to help clients achieve positive outcomes efficiently, avoiding the cost and stress of litigation, and preserving relationships whenever possible.
Laura earned her J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law and an M.Ed. from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Austin A. Allen
Austin is a seasoned business leader and founder with over 15 years of experience building successful enterprises and expertly navigating complex challenges. With a natural talent for facilitation, Austin is passionate about fostering understanding and achieving mutually agreeable solutions. He now dedicates his extensive expertise to mediation, committed to helping individuals and organizations find common ground and effectively resolve disputes.
Austin's diverse background includes founding and leading two successful companies, experiences that significantly honed his negotiation and mediation-related skills. As CEO of The Artist Collective, LLC, he built an automated workspace for creative professionals, where he led cross-functional teams, managed projects, and proactively mitigated risks. This role demanded constant conflict resolution, strategic communication, and the ability to find consensus among diverse stakeholders. Austin also founded and continues to own Quality Entertainment, LLC d/b/a Q Music Agency. His responsibilities in this venture are particularly relevant to mediation, as they consistently involve contract negotiations and expert facilitation of agreements between diverse parties—musical talent and clients. These situations frequently require him to employ skilled mediation techniques to bridge differing expectations, resolve potential conflicts, and ensure successful, mutually beneficial outcomes while preserving vital professional relationships. This hands-on experience has significantly refined his ability to identify common ground, manage expectations, and guide discussions toward resolution.
Holding a B.S. from The University of North Texas, Austin further enhanced his mediation credentials through his training with Kreider Mediation. Based in Fort Worth, TX, Austin utilizes his proven skills in conflict resolution, problem-solving, critical thinking, de-escalation, active listening, and strategic planning to guide clients toward constructive and lasting resolutions.
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