Faculty

Michael T. Colatrella, Jr., J.D., LL.M.
Director and Senior Lecturer

Michael T. Colatrella, Jr. is a teacher, mediator and attorney. He is the Director and Senior Lecturer at Southern Methodist University’s Center for Dispute Resolution & Conflict Management in Plano, Texas.  He also served on the full‑time faculty at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law from 2000-05.  He teaches in the areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Negotiation, Organizational Conflict, and Civil Trial Practice.

Mr. Colatrella is a court-approved mediator in Texas, New Jersey & Kansas.  He is a member of the Texas Association of Mediators and a former member of the Association of American Law Schools’ Executive Committee for Dispute Resolution.  As a mediator, Mr. Colatrella has participated in disputes involving employment contracts, commercial contracts, consumer fraud suits, personal injury, and commercial and residential leases.  In addition to his teaching and mediation activities, Mr. Colatrella also educates corporate executives and business people in a wide variety of dispute resolution and human relations matters. 

Before pursuing a full‑time career as a teacher and mediator, Mr. Colatrella was a litigator in New Jersey at the law firm of Reed Smith Shaw & McClay, which is listed among The American Lawyer's top 100 law firm's in the United States.  He clerked for the New Jersey Superior Court, and served an internship on the United States Court of Appeals for Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., now Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. 

Mr. Colatrella received his B.A. in 1987 from Rutgers University and his J.D. in 1991 from Seton Hall University School of Law.  In 1999, he received his LL.M. (Masters of Law) from New York University School of Law, specializing in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He is co-author of the book, Mediation--Skills and Techniques (Lexis/Nexis 2008).

Mr. Colatrella's contact information:  mcolatre@smu.edu or 972-473-3444.