He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University’s nationally ranked Straus Institute, is a certified Prosci Change Management Practitioner, and has completed executive studies in Neuroscience and Business Decision Making at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His work integrates conflict resolution, leadership strategy, and decision science into practical tools leaders can apply immediately.

John’s career spans service as a U.S. Army JAG Corps attorney, private legal practice, and higher-education leadership where he served as a law professor, dean-level academic leader, and program builder overseeing legal, criminal justice, and public safety programs. Across these roles, he repeatedly observed the same pattern: unresolved conflict quietly erodes trust, productivity, and culture.

That insight led him to found Murray Mediation & Consulting, where he now works with organizations to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and help teams navigate conflict and change more effectively.

John is the creator of the Stop, Drop & Roll method of conflict resolution and the A-Formation Leadership framework, two practical systems that help leaders identify early warning signs of conflict and lead teams more effectively under pressure.

He is the bestselling author of Stop, Drop, & Roll: How Leaders Can Prevent Workplace Conflict from Catching Fire, Better Than Our Dogs, Man Na, and Introduction to Law: A Real, Relevant, and Relatable Approach for Paralegals. His work has been featured on CBS, NBC News, and Fox.

Through keynotes, leadership retreats, and executive workshops, John equips leaders with the mindset and tools needed to prevent small sparks from becoming organizational fires.