Mediation & Arbitration

experienced Texas attorney

Experienced Texas Mediator in Bastrop

Arbitrator With American Arbitrator Association

Law office of Derek r. Van Gilder

Legal Advice You Can Rely On

We offer both in-person and virtual mediation services over Zoom. Although many people prefer in-person mediation, we have had great success mediating cases by video conference and it is quickly becoming the "industry standard" in central Texas and other parts of the state.


Our office, located in downtown Bastrop, Texas, is less than three blocks from the Bastrop County courthouse. We can accommodate most mediations with a large meeting room and an additional office. Free parking is available on Main Street and in a public lot one block away. Larger facilities in town may be rented for multi-party mediations. Our office offers high-speed WiFi access, and our main conference room has a wall-mounted flat screen television available for presentation of video and other digital media. 

Several restaurants are located within walking distance from our office, and food delivery is available for “working lunches.”

Derek R. Van Gilder and J. Scott Howard have completed the Basic Mediation course, and both have hundreds of hours of mediation experience in a variety of cases. 


Mr. Van Gilder and Mr. Howard have experience in the mediation of cases involving wrongful death, personal injury, breach of contract, construction and real estate disputes, divorce and family law matters, deceptive trade practices and other causes of action.


We accept half day, full day and multi-day mediations. We offer competitive rates to best suit your needs–hourly, half day or per day.

various types of legal matters

Arbitration of Legal Disputes

Mr. Van Gilder and Mr. Howard are available to serve as a sole arbitrator (or as a panelist) in the arbitration of disputes. Neither Mr. Van Gilder nor Mr. Howard is a member of any arbitration referral organization and neither has any contract or arbitration relationship with insurers or other business industry or organization. Mr. Van Gilder and Mr. Howard understand that parties in arbitration desire a prompt resolution of their dispute, within the established parameters of the arbitration process.


A detailed and well-reasoned, written decisions will be provided to adjudicate each arbitration. A courtroom-like setting may be secured upon request of the parties, for an additional fee, in order to facilitate the questioning of witnesses and the presentation of evidence.

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