Straus Institute Leads with Innovative Programs and Landmark Conference
The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution has served as a national leader in law school-based conflict resolution programs for over a decade and offers two tracks for educational engagement -- academic degree programs including the Certificate, Master's (MDR) and LLM in Dispute Resolution, as well as professional training programs for mid-career attorneys, judges, mediators, and a wide range of conflict resolvers.
With over fifty different courses, the Institute offers its students one of the broadest curricula in the field of dispute resolution. Its foundational courses ensure theoretical and skills-based competency in basic processes of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration, and a wide variety of elective courses provide its students an opportunity to apply their knowledge from the classroom into practice in the real world.
"For three decades we have been a leader in preparing effective negotiators, peacemakers, and problem solvers and a driving force for improving the culture of conflict in America and the world," said Thomas J. Stipanowich, associate dean of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Recently, the Straus Institute was ranked second in U.S. News and World Report's 2020 Best Law Schools, Best Dispute Resolution Programs. The peer-based ranking of dispute resolution programs was determined by faculty in the ADR field, who evaluated programs at all eligible law schools. The Institute has a long history in the field, having been ranked the number one dispute resolution program in 13 of the last 15 years.
On June 18-19, 2019, the Straus Institute will host a landmark conference centered on dispute resolution teaching and methodology, in collaboration with American Bar Association and Texas A&M University's Aggie Dispute Resolution Program. Titled "Appreciating our Legacy and Engaging our Future," this international conference convenes leading academics, clinicians, adjuncts, and practitioners to discuss the history of and recent developments in ADR pedagogy and practice. Pioneering faculty from across the country will engage in thoughtful dialogue on topics from balancing legal skills, ethics and policy in the classroom to the impact of globalization and culture in research. Panel discussions will focus on a wide array of issues including the future of dispute resolution clinics and public service initiatives to bridge timely societal divides.
This event underscores the Institute's commitment to serving as a preeminent global academic center on dispute resolution, as it brings together an unparalleled group of teaching and research faculty, scholars, and practitioners from throughout the U.S. and abroad.
The U.S. News and World Report Best Dispute Resolution Programs may be found here.
Information on the Straus Institute may be found here.