John C. “Rusty” Allman
Attorney/Mediator/Arbitrator
EDUCATION
University of Texas, BA History/Government, 1966
Chapman College, MAA (Business), 1976
Royal Navy Staff College, 1981
Western State University, (Now Thomas Jefferson), JD, 1987
American Jurisprudence award: Torts. Honors award: Legal Ethics. Law Review: Book Review Editor
Adjunct Professor of Aviation Law & Advanced Product Liability, South Texas College of Law, 1996
ADR CERTIFICATION & EXPERIENCE
Mediated several hundred cases in airline, railroad, and civil jurisdictions
American Arbitration Association Labor Arbitrator Panel
Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service 40 hour arbitrator training
National Mediation Board Arbitrator Panel
Association of Attorney Mediators 40 hour training
Approved mediator, Federal District Court, Western District of Texas
Settlement Week mediator, Travis County District Courts
Grievance mediation consultant to National Mediation Board, 1996-1999
LABOR REPRESENTATION EXPERIENCE
Contract ALPA attorney for Continental Airline ALPA unit, 2006-2009
Consultant to Southwest Pilots Association in mid-term contract negotiations, 2000
Assisted Airborne Express pilot union in re-negotiation of contract scheduling provisions, 1998-99
Grievance Chairman, US Airways, 1991-1996
LITIGATION EXPEIENCE
Admitted to State Bars of California and Texas
Contract criminal defense attorney, San Diego, CA
Contract appellate attorney, CA 4th Cir.
Numerous jury trials, California, New Mexico, Texas
Numerous NTSB hearings representing pilots and mechanics In FAA enforcement proceedings
Litigated first AIR-21 Airline Whistleblower case, 2001
Litigated airplane crash and product liability matters in numerous states
MILITARY SERVICE & FLYING EXPERIENCE
Captain (retired) Major US Airline
Naval Aviator, 1966-1986: Commander, USN (Retired)
Two combat tours, Viet Nam
4000 fighter flight hours, 400 carrier landings
Several combat and achievement awards
Squadron Command
PUBLICATIONS
“Mediation Techniques”, Civil Trial Practice: Winning Techniques of Successful TrialAttorneys, Lawyers and Judges Press, 2000.
NARRATIVE
My first experience with ADR was in 1991 as grievance chairman at US Airways. I was overwhelmed with the daunting task of resolving the existing 300 grievances which were being added to every day. I found the well known mediator/arbitrator William Hobgood and brought him to our campus. Working with management I was able to institute a training and conflict resolution program that over five years succeeded in settling over $30 million dollars in grievances. My success with this program led to a three year engagement with the National Mediation Board to build a grievance mediation capability into the board’s repertoire, a program which is still prominently used by labor groups under the Board’s jurisdiction.
From 1996-2006 I maintained a successful aviation and product liability practice with the prominent aviation litigation firm of Slack & Davis, LLP, based in Austin, Texas. After a short retirement, I was asked by the pilots at Continental Airlines to represent them in their dealings with Continental management which I did from November 2006 until January 2009. During that period I acted as advocate in many arbitrations, as well as using my mediation skills to successfully resolve many outstanding grievances. Most importantly, I was able to gain the company’s confidence to establish a very successful return to work program for pilots with drug and/or alcohol abuse problems.