The Honorable Zuberi B. Williams (Ret.), a retired Maryland District Court judge known as “Judge Zu,” served as the inaugural featured speaker for the Maryland State Bar Association's new monthly ADR Roundtable series on October 13, 2026.

A Director at Bayard, P.A. and Chair of the firm's Business ADR Practice, Judge Zu presented “The Human Advantage: Building an ADR Career in the Age of AI.” Drawing on his experience from the bench and in private practice, Judge Zu explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping dispute resolution—and why human judgment, trust, and personal connection remain essential to achieving meaningful resolutions.

Judge Zu serves on the American Arbitration Association's (AAA) National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators and is a Fellow at the Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals (ACAN). He is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law and American University Washington College of Law and serves as faculty for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).