Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

LLM in Dispute Resolution for European Lawyers

Study Negotiation, Mediation and Arbitration at the Highest Ranked U.S. Program.

Courses Available in Intensive Formats in Los Angeles and London.

Program will start January 2014

Mid and late career attorneys and judges can maintain a busy practice while earning a LL.M. in Dispute Resolution.  Students who cannot dedicate a year to the traditional LL.M. program, now have the option to participate in the pilot program formatted for European lawyers. 

• Take five courses in an extended weekend format once a month at Pepperdine’s London campus
• London campus courses will start at noon on Thursdays and end at 16:30 on Mondays
• Start and end the program with a one week course in Los Angeles the first week of January 2013 and 2014
• Attend the rest of your classes over six weeks (May 26 to July 5) in Los Angeles.

During this time in Los Angeles, you will:

• • mediate 20 cases in the local courts;
  • observe commercial private sector mediations;
  • tour the largest court annexed mediation program in the world;
  • attend courses with more than 200 students enrolled in the Los Angeles based LL.M. and Masters in Dispute Resolution programs;
  • meet with your faculty advisor for guidance on an independent study project
  • meet with your academic advisor to plan an externship experience in your home city; and
  • attend receptions and events with practicing mediators, arbitrators, and ADR providers.

Program at a Glance: Dates, Locations, Courses and Faculty
 

Dec 31 and Jan 2 - 5 2013	Los Angeles	Negotiation Theory and Practice	2  units
February 7 - 11	London	Mediation Theory and Practice	2 units
March 7 - 11	London	Arbitration Practice and Advocacy	2 units
April 4 - 8	London	Cross Cultural Conflict and Dispute Resolution	2 units
May 2 - 6	London	International Commercial Arbitration	2 units
May 28 - June 1	Los Angeles	One Week Intensive (choose from three electives)	2 units
June 6 - June 15	Los Angeles	Two Week Intensive (choose from two electives)	2 units
June 18 - June 29	Los Angeles	Two Week Intensive (choose from two electives)	2 units
July 1 - 5	Los Angeles	Apology, Forgiveness and Reconciliation	2 units
May 28 - July 5	Los Angeles	Independent Research Project	1 unit
May 28 - July 5	Los Angeles	Mediation Clinic	2 units
October TBD	London	Elective Course	2 units
Fall Semester	Location of Choice	Externship and Independent Study Research	3 units
Jan 6 - 10, 2014	Los Angeles	One Week Intensive (choose from four electives)	2 units

Intensive courses in London would be offered Thursday through Monday from 13:00 – 21:00, with a half day class on Sunday afternoon from 13:00 pm – 12:00.

Faculty:

Thomas J. Stipanowich is the academic director of the Straus Institute and professor of law at Pepperdine University School of Law.  Stipanowich recently served as the WilmerHale Scholar-in-Residence for Fall 2010 in the International Arbitration Department in London.  He has authored two of the leading books on commercial arbitration and many articles on ADR.  Recently he coauthored a groundbreaking book and materials entitled Resolving Disputes: Theory, Practice, and Law (2005).

Peter Robinson is managing director of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution and associate professor at Pepperdine University School of Law.  He has presented advanced negotiation and mediation skills courses in more than 39 states and foreign countriesHe is a fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, a member of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators andhas been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer in the area of mediation since 2006.

Jack J. Coe, Jr. is a specialist in private international law. Professor Coe's training includes advanced studies in Europe. He received his LL.M. at Exeter, where he was a Rotary International Graduate Fellow, the Diploma of the Hague Academy of International Law, and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics. He clerked for the Honorable Richard C. Allison at the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, the Hague and now consults with governments and multinational corporations in relation to commercial and direct investment disputes under the NAFTA and Bilateral Investment Treaties.  Coe is currently the Associate Reporter for the Restatement of the Law of International Commercial Arbitration

Jim Craven is a lawyer, mediator and frequent speaker in the conflict resolution field and has trained mediators throughout the world.  He is of counsel to the Spokane, Washington law firm of Evans, Craven & Lackie which he co-founded in 1978.  Craven has extensive experience in the mediation of complex commercial and construction disputes, having served as a mediator since 1990.  Mr. Craven was a trial lawyer for 25 years with a practice emphasizing construction, commercial and environmental litigation, as well as professional errors and omissions defense. 

Nina Meierding is a national leader in the field of conflict resolution and has been providing training and mediation services for over twenty five years.  She is a former president of the Academy of Family Mediators and served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Conflict Resolution and many other organizations.  She was previously Director and Senior Mediator at the Mediation Center in Ventura, California from 1985-2007 where she mediated over 4,000 disputes.  Nina has trained thousands of individuals in businesses, courts, school districts, governmental agencies, medical centers, corporations and universities throughout the United States and abroad.

Jasper Kim is an Associate Professor for the Graduate School of International Studies at Ewha University (Seoul, Korea).  Prior to joining Ewha, he was an Associate Director for Barclays Capital and Associate Counsel for Lehman Brothers.   He is also a contributor to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), CNBC TV, Bloomberg TV and BBC TV, who has been selected as a 2011 Visiting Scholar at Harvard University.  His most recent book is 24 Hours with 24 Lawyers: Profiles of Traditional and Non-Traditional Careers (Aspatore/Thomson Reuters, 2011).

Location

Pepperdine's London Campus is in the heart of London in the prestigious Knightsbridge and South Kensington area.   The campus provides excellent facilities, including two classrooms, which seat approximately 42 and 20 students respectively, a library, wireless network, computer room with Internet, Lexis and Westlaw connections, administrative and faculty offices and a commons room.

Pepperdine University School of Law is located in the beautiful beach town of Malibu, California.  Malibu is 12 miles north of Santa Monica and approximately 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu offers excellent coastal recreation, pleasant restaurants and shops, and a relaxing escape from big-city life. Malibu is a residential and recreational community located Malibu is home to Pepperdine University, the Hughes Aircraft aerospace research facility, and numerous motion picture and television celebrities.

Admission Requirements

Admission is competitive and criteria include academic achievement, professional accomplishment, a track record for influence and leadership, and intended application of a dispute resolution education.  Applicants for whom English is not their first language should have a TOEFL score of 100 iBT test.  International students must apply on-line (please be sure to indicate that you are applying to the LL.M. London program) and have their transcripts evaluated through LSAC’s LL.M. Credential Assembly Service as part of the application process.  Additional information on this process can be found at llm.lsac.org .

This is a pilot program limited to 15 students.  It is anticipated that the spaces will be highly competitive.  

Tuition

Tuition for the program is charged on a per-unit basis.  The tuition cost for the 2012-2013 academic year has not yet been determined, but will be approximately US $1600 per unit and the LL.M is a 28 unit program.  The LL.M. in Dispute Resolution is a degree from an American University.  Even though five of the courses are at Pepperdine’s London Campus, it is important for students to know this program will not confer the benefits of degree from an English University.