HLS in Focus

Recently, the President of the Harvard Mediation Program, 2L Becky Jaffe filled us in on the program’s kickoff event where representatives from Harvard Negotiators, Harvard Mediation Program, Harvard Negotiation Law Review, and the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program were on hand to talk about their plans for the upcoming year and to answer questions.

“Harvard Law School has the premier Alternative Dispute Resolution program and, recently, several professors, student leaders, and staff described the dynamic offerings available at HLS. Approximately 100 students attended the event, which was sponsored by the Program on Negotiation. Following a warm welcome from Professor Robert Mnookin and Student Interest Group Coordinator Sarah Whitman, representatives from the Harvard Mediation Program, the Harvard Negotiators, and the Harvard Negotiation Law Review all described their activities. Professor Robert Bordone also described the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program and urged students to take the popular Negotiation Workshop.’

“Kyle Glover, the Chair of the Harvard Negotiators, challenged the room to brainstorm solutions to a negotiation problem. He then described the Negotiators organization and its various projects, including facilitating dialogues between estranged Catholics and representatives from the Boston Catholic Archdiocese and helping a community in Minnesota conduct a stakeholder assessment before implementing a renewable energy program.’

“Becky Jaffe, the President of the Harvard Mediation Program, defined mediation and explained the myriad disputes that mediators encounter through the program. Such disputes include dog bites, landlords seeking to evict tenants, or even lovers fighting over money after the relationship soured.’

“Judy Yuan and Buzz Maslov, the co-editors-in-chief of the Harvard Negotiation Law Review (HNLR) appealed to students with a scholarly interest in the alternative dispute resolution field to consider joining HNLR. HNLR is one of the most well-respected specialty law journals in the United States. The upcoming volume will be devoted to special issues on Dispute Systems Design following a major symposium organized by HNLR in March of 2008.’

“Professor Bordone concluded the evening by describing the clinical program which he founded, the first law clinic in the country to provide students the opportunity to work as negotiation and systems design consultants. Before closing, Professor Bordone urged students to engage with at least one extracurricular activity during their first year at law school: “There are so many opportunities here, and your experience at HLS will be richer and more rewarding if you find an opportunity that excites you.”