Every year US News ranks law schools overall as well as by specialty areas, one of which is dispute resolution. Fortunately the specialty rankings are purely peer-based as opposed to some arbitrary number – like bar passage. It’s so unfair that some states have diploma privilege and therefore law schools in those states get a 100% pass rate for US News ranking purposes and states like Arizona have the highest bar cut score in the country and our school is penalized for it – despite having a great pass rate (much higher than the state average, which would be a
Continue Reading 2026 US News Dispute Resolution Rankings
ADR
In Memory – Isabelle R. Gunning (1956-2026)
With great sadness, our field learned of the passing of Isabelle Gunning. Those of us at Indisputably felt that the most meaningful way to honor her life and legacy was to invite people who knew her well to share reflections with our community. We are especially grateful to Sharon Press (Mitchell-Hamline) and Ellen Deason (Ohio State), who worked closely with Isabelle, for offering the remembrance that follows.
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We are honored and humbled to have been asked to share some words in memory of our dear friend and colleague, Isabelle Gunning, who passed away on March 28, 2026. She…
Continue Reading In Memory – Isabelle R. Gunning (1956-2026)
Negotiation and Mediation Theory After 30+ Years: A Practice-Based Framework
Colleagues recently had a lively discussion on the DRLE listserv about negotiation and mediation theory. This post summarizes my perspective and includes my posts in that discussion. I hadn’t planned to write the series of posts, but comments in this thread prompted me to summarize my perspective. Many of the comments raise broad questions about … Continue reading Negotiation and Mediation Theory After 30+ Years: A Practice-Based Framework →
Continue Reading Negotiation and Mediation Theory After 30+ Years: A Practice-Based Framework
Habermas, AI, and more: post by Andrew Mamo
From FOI Professor Andrew Mamo: Hiro is pointing us toward a broader set of conversations that directly implicate our field, including but not limited to Gadamer-Habermas, and I agree that these debates should be far better known within the dispute resolution field. The distinction between strategic and communicative action, for example, poses hard questions for … Continue reading Habermas, AI, and more: post by Andrew Mamo →
Continue Reading Habermas, AI, and more: post by Andrew Mamo
Negotiation Theories for Law Firms….
A year after the Trump administration came after law firms, the dust has still not settled. (Just last week, the DOJ both withdrew and then refiled its defense against the law firms that sued the administration for unlawful targeting.) But it is worth taking a step back and considering what we have already learned about … Continue reading Negotiation Theories for Law Firms…. →
Continue Reading Negotiation Theories for Law Firms….
Will AI Destroy Institutions?
Here’s a debate about whether generative AI threatens the survival of key civic institutions – followed by a conversation with RPS Coach about these issues that may surprise you. Woodrow Hartzog and Jessica M. Silbey wrote How AI Destroys Institutions. Here’s the abstract. Civic institutions—the rule of law, universities, and a free press—are the backbone … Continue reading Will AI Destroy Institutions? →
Continue Reading Will AI Destroy Institutions?
On Habermas and DR
I was inspired to write this after reading Carrie’s and Andrew’s fascinating posts on the subject. I knew of Carrie’s engagement with Habermas, but I didn’t realize that others in the field were also steeped in his work. It makes me think we should have a symposium on Habermas (and Bush?) — any takers? Before … Continue reading On Habermas and DR →
Continue Reading On Habermas and DR
On Habermas & Bush: from Andrew Mamo
In the space of two weeks, the field of dispute resolution lost Robert Baruch Bush, the prophet of the transformative model of mediation, and the world lost Jürgen Habermas, the philosopher whose theory of communication and rationality provides a normative justification for much of dispute resolution—even if few American legal scholars in this field engage … Continue reading On Habermas & Bush: from Andrew Mamo →
Continue Reading On Habermas & Bush: from Andrew Mamo
On Habermas: from Carrie Menkel-Meadow
I learned of Jurgen Habermas’s death at 96 while I was teaching my Negotiation intensive course and my students were engaged in a complex multi-party consensus – building exercise. As we debriefed, I asked if they had heard of Habermas and all said No, despite the fact that many were Political Science majors in college. … Continue reading On Habermas: from Carrie Menkel-Meadow →
Continue Reading On Habermas: from Carrie Menkel-Meadow
Jurgen Habermas (1929-2026)
This morning, I read the here-linked Guardian story reporting that Jurgen Habermas has died. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/15/jurgen-habermas-obituary I know no credible scholars in our field who would accuse Habermas of being easy to read. And I am not the right person to write a thorough, or maybe even thoughtful, examination of the ADR-specific impacts of Habermas’s notions … Continue reading Jurgen Habermas (1929-2026) →
Continue Reading Jurgen Habermas (1929-2026)
Developing AI Literacy in Law Students
On March 9, a program on developing AI literacy in law students was the inaugural session in the AALS–West Academic webinar series. As AI rapidly reshapes legal practice, law schools are experimenting with a wide range of approaches to help students build the skills and judgment they’ll need in an AI-infused profession. Here’s the video … Continue reading Developing AI Literacy in Law Students →
Continue Reading Developing AI Literacy in Law Students
The Future is Now: AI, Dispute Resolution and the Civil Justice System
Join us on Friday, March 20, 2026 – in-person or online – for Texas A&M’s annual dispute resolution symposium, “The Future is Now: AI, Dispute Resolution and the Civil Justice System.” Our panels will include: – A Conversation About Engaging Judges and Law Students in Innovating with AI to Serve our Civil Justice System (Hon. … Continue reading The Future is Now: AI, Dispute Resolution and the Civil Justice System →
Continue Reading The Future is Now: AI, Dispute Resolution and the Civil Justice System
Hope & Peacebuilding
Our last blog on the Israel conflict resolution trip will be on the concept of hope. It was striking to me–and to the students, as outlined below–how many of our speakers focused on hope for the future. We heard this across the board–from released hostage Gadi Mozes, from NGO’s working in peace on the ground, … Continue reading Hope & Peacebuilding →
Continue Reading Hope & Peacebuilding
Israel Trip Reflections–Law, Justice & Conflict
Students at Cardozo had the pleasure of hearing from a diverse and impactful group of speakers during their trip to Israel. A common theme among many of the speakers and lecturers concerned the impact of the Israeli judiciary, social institutions, and non-profit organizations in Israeli politics on a national and international stage. Professor Rivka Weill … Continue reading Israel Trip Reflections–Law, Justice & Conflict →
Continue Reading Israel Trip Reflections–Law, Justice & Conflict
Conflict Reflections–Trauma and October 7th
Clearly as we watch what is unfolding now, the experiences from October 7th continue to inform Israeli policies and politics. Here are student reflections on our visits to the Nova site and Kibbutz Nir Oz as well as meetings with hostage Gadi Moses, Professor Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son was held hostage, and Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, … Continue reading Conflict Reflections–Trauma and October 7th →
Continue Reading Conflict Reflections–Trauma and October 7th
Supporting Mediators in Eviction Cases: Introducing RSI’s Power Imbalance Toolkit
I am a member of the Board of Resolution Systems Institute (RSI), well-known to many of you for its important work in evaluating and providing research-based tools to help assure the quality of court-connected dispute resolution programs. One of RSI’s newest contributions to our field is a Power Imbalance Toolkit for mediators. The Toolkit (and … Continue reading Supporting Mediators in Eviction Cases: Introducing RSI’s Power Imbalance Toolkit →
Continue Reading Supporting Mediators in Eviction Cases: Introducing RSI’s Power Imbalance Toolkit
