Academics

Institutes

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

Pepperdine students have the unique opportunity to contribute to the emerging dispute resolution field while gaining valuable tools for professional practice through study at the top-ranked Straus Institute. Lawyers and judges have known for some time that litigation is not only expensive, but, in some situations, not the most satisfying method for resolving disputes. The internationally acclaimed Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution is at the forefront of preparing lawyers and neutrals to settle conflicts by utilizing the full range of dispute resolution processes, including negotiation, conciliation, mini-trials, judicial settlement, mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

Geoffrey H. Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law

In today's high-tech business world, lawyers who have business skills have an advantage over their peers. The Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law at Pepperdine, endowed by 1975 law alumnus, Geoffery H. Palmer, is designed to prepare students for the heightened demands and unique opportunities that technology presents in such areas as business, entertainment law, securities regulation, and intellectual property rights. With a diverse curriculum, the center offers a multidisciplinary certificate program that integrates the study of law, business, and technology, preparing each student (fellow) to be a hybrid of lawyer, business consultant, and financial strategist.

Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion and Ethics

The Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics was created to explore the nexus between these three disciplines, with particular emphasis on the intersection of faith and law. While affirming Pepperdine University's Christian identity, the Institute draws from the largest possible pool of religious voices, seeking dialogue and common ground with other faith traditions. The Institute encourages the examination of law as a theological vocation from the broad range of Christian, Jewish, and other religious perspectives represented in the law school's students, staff, and faculty.

Wm. Matthew Byrne, Jr. Judicial Clerkship Institute

Each year, Pepperdine University School of Law brings law students from across the country to its campus for the Wm. Matthew Byrne, Jr., Judicial Clerkship Institute (Byrne JCI). Through the Byrne JCI, students who have been accepted into federal judicial clerkship positions have the opportunity to gain distinctive, comprehensive training by federal judges.