George Walker is one of the school’s most accomplished scholars and public servants. He is the editor or author of over 10 books and monographs, 50 professional journal articles or book chapters and 30 continuing education chapters.
Posted: July 21st, 2016 | By: Emily Eisert
Professor George Walker, the Dean’s Research Professor of Admiralty and Maritime Law, served as an observer for the Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act (UFLAA), recently approved by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) at its 2016 Annual Meeting in Stowe, Vermont. Alumnus Lynn Burleson (JD ’80), a certified arbitrator and member of the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, also served as an observer.
UFLAA, one of six new uniform acts or amendments completed at the Annual Meeting from July 8-14, 2016, standardizes the arbitration of family law on matters including spousal support, division of property, child custody and child support. According to ULC’s website, the goal of the act is to create a comprehensive family law arbitration system for the states. It is based on the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (RUAA) but differs from RUAA in areas in which family law arbitration differs from commercial arbitration. Examples of this include standards for arbitration of child custody and child support, arbitrator qualifications and powers and protections for victims of domestic violence.
The UFLAA committee members included Barbara Ann Atwood, ULC chair; ULC members; ABA advisers and section advisers, among others. Professor Walker acted as a non-ULC member expert.
Additionally, though was not directly involved with the UFLAA committee, Dean Suzanne Reynolds (JD ’77) serves as a ULC North Carolina Commissioner.
Professor Walker previously has served as reporter for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Model Family Law Arbitration Act, the North Carolina Family Law Arbitration Act, the North Carolina Revised Uniform Arbitration Act and the North Carolina Supreme Court’s Rules for Arbitration. He has been active in drafting the North Carolina Court-Ordered Arbitration Act and the State’s international arbitration legislation.
The Acts are in the General Statutes, and the Rules are published in the N.C. Reports.
