Certificate Program in Dispute Resolution
The Certificate Program in Dispute Resolution curriculum instills in students invaluable negotiation skills, as well as an understanding of the psychological principles and settlement procedures that are essential to effective mediation. I know that I am a better student — and will be a better attorney — for having participated in this program.
The Center for Dispute Resolution administers a Certificate Program in Dispute Resolution, which has been ranked among the top-10 dispute resolution programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. This specialized program of study provides a substantial foundation in mediation and negotiation for all law students. However, the program is particularly valuable for those students interested in a deep exploration of problem solving, deal making and decision theory.
The Certificate Program in Dispute Resolution requires 16 hours of specialized study as part of the 90 hours required to earn the J.D. Participation in the certificate program is open to 16 students from each class. Students enrolled in the program develop vital expertise in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, trial process and conflict theory and learn important aspects of psychology, economics and other disciplines that bear on dispute resolution. The practical and theoretical components of the program equip students with the negotiation techniques needed to readily prevent and quickly resolve a broad range of legal disputes.
First-year students interested in admission to the program must enroll in the introductory dispute resolution course offered in the spring semester. In addition to the introductory course, the program requires three other courses, the capstone course, a major paper and 200 hours of practicum.
Admission to the Program
Applications are due at the end of 1L year, on June 15 (unless that date falls on a weekend, in which case the deadline is the following Monday). Admission decisions are made within one month by the CDR Certificate Committee. Only the applications of students who have a 2.7 or better and who have taken the Dispute Resolution elective will be considered for admission to the Certificate Program.
Criteria for Admission
Up to 16 students from each first year class are admitted, in three groups as follows.
Group One
The three students with the highest grade in the first year DR course are admitted automatically. (Ties will be broken by reference to cumulative first-year GPA.)
Group Two
The next five candidates will be the students who have achieved the highest cumulative first year GPA.
Group Three
The remaining eight spots shall be filled according to the following criteria:
- Academic achievement during the first year;
- The strength of the applicant’s personal statement that outlines the applicant’s intentions to use their law school career and post-law school career to be a leader in their field or community with respect to the theory and practice of dispute resolution; and
- To the extent possible, the committee takes diversity issues into account. Such issues include, but are not limited to consideration of the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of the admittees to the program, and consideration of the diversity of political and philosophical viewpoints represented in the admittee group.
Application Materials
Students who wish to apply for consideration as CDR Certificate Candidates must include in their application their transcript, the personal statement, and any other relevant materials selected by the applicant (limited to a total of ten pages including the required materials — these pages may include, for example, letters of recommendation and writing samples).
Curriculum and Practica
View full curriculum information
Conferral of the Certificate
At the end of the third year, the committee will review the transcripts of the certificate candidates. In order to receive a CDR certificate at graduations a candidate must:
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better in the courses in Dispute Resolution, Civil Procedure, Evidence, Arbitration, Advanced Topics, and any graded elective listed in Course Requirements above;
- Earn a grade of “Credit” or “Honors” in Mediation, Negotiation, and any “Honors/Credit/No Credit” elective listed below:
- Trial Practice
- Externship
- Pre-Trial Civil Litigation
- Civil Practice Clinic
- Satisfactorily complete the 200 total hours of “hands-on” practicum; and
- Have an overall GPA of 2.3 or higher.
Petitions
A student who takes the 1L DR course, and who also takes (or is enrolled in) Negotiation and either Mediation in their 2L year may petition to be admitted into the CDR Certificate Program or Evidence in February of their 2L year. If a student is admitted under this provision, the student must design and complete the required practica for both 2L and 3L years as designed with and approved by the CDR staff.
