Paul Brock spent his childhood in western North Carolina, but has sustained a deep connection with Durham and the surrounding area for most of his life. His mother’s family members on both sides were Durham natives, and Paul spent summers in Durham, swimming at the Elk’s Club pool with his brothers and going to camp.
Paul moved to the Durham Raleigh Chapel Hill area to attend the University of North Carolina. After graduating from UNC in 1988 with a B.S. in Political Science and a B.A. in Criminal Justice, he went on to complete his J.D. degree at UNC Law School in 1992. He subsequently practiced as an attorney for nine years with the Durham firm, Stubbs, Cole, Breedlove, Prentis & Biggs, and then in 2000, he started his own firm in Durham, Brock & Meece, P.A.. For 22 years, Paul concentrated on family law and steadily moved his practice toward mediation, realizing that it offers the best alternative for resolving disputes for both families and individuals. Paul is now exclusively engaged in the practice of family mediation for Triangle area attorneys and their clients.
Paul brings a passion to mediation that comes from seeing the negative effects that litigation can have on individuals and families, both emotionally and financially. The attorneys and clients for whom Paul mediates appreciate the fact that he strongly encourages crafting creative compromises to custody, property distribution, and support issues.
Having practiced law extensively as a litigator and negotiator in the Triangle for over 20 years, Paul is knowledgeable about not only likely outcomes that could occur if mediation is not successful, but the fact that successfully mediated outcomes are beneficial to all parties involved, clients and attorneys. Paul works effectively to listen, evaluate, and understand the attorneys and clients’ positions, and guides the parties to reach an intelligent, financially feasible, and emotionally sound resolution to their cases.
Paul brings his financial and past legal experience to bear in his mediation practice, but he also employs a wealth of practical, real life experience. Paul has three children, a daughter and two stepsons. He understands both the challenges and rewards of blended families, and the importance of emerging from the divorce process whole and healthy. Family is important to Paul (he has six brothers and a large extended family) and he takes into account the importance of family for both the clients and the attorneys for whom he mediates.
Paul has owned and operated several successful businesses, and understands the financial considerations inherent in separation and divorce. This background allows him to work with attorneys to successfully address their clients’ financial needs.
Paul greatly enjoys spending time with his family, and also takes pleasure in gardening, writing, playing tennis and hiking. Paul has been an avid Carolina Theatre fan for many years and formerly served as the theatre’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Paul has many other local civic involvements. He tutored for the Durham Literacy Council for a number of years, participated in Durham County’s “Big Sibling” Program for sixteen years, and served on the board of trustees of the Chapel Hill Women’s Center (now the Compass Center for Women and Families).