Dispute resolutionColorado Law is leading the way in providing students with tools to help them thrive in our evolving legal culture. Most disputes are resolved outside of court and students must build competencies for addressing disputes in a myriad of settings. Successful lawyers, advocates, and counselors regularly negotiate contracts, mediate disputes, and arbitrate claims to reach resolutions in an efficient and satisfying manner.

Colorado Law is committed to cultivating the negotiation and dispute resolution education and skills of our students, and providing a rich intellectual and practice-focused environment for honing these competencies. Our faculty experts teach foundational courses in arbitration, international dispute resolution, mediation, and negotiation. These teachers are leaders in their respective fields, and regularly research, write, and present in their respective areas on national and international levels. They also are dedicated to providing students with fellowship, competition, and other outside opportunities to further explore these areas and improve negotiation and dispute resolution skills. 

Dispute Resolution and Negotiation Faculty

Core Curriculum

Additional Courses and Seminars

Student Opportunities

Competitions

  • Colorado Law students participate in a variety of national competitions related to dispute resolution and problem-solving. In 2014, for example, a Colorado Law team won the national final round of the 5th annual Transactional LawMeet, in which teams compete in drafting and negotiating a corporate transaction. Other such competitions include the ABA's Negotiation Competition and the ABA's Representation in Mediation Competition.

 

CU Restorative Justice

  • CU Restorative Justice provides an alternative disciplinary system for the city of Boulder and the University of Colorado. CU Restorative Justice provides a forum for victims, student offenders, and affected community members to engage in dialogue in order to identify harms caused by criminal behavior and to determine the best method for repairing those harms. Please email curj@colorado.edu if you are interested in learning more or getting involved as a community representative or facilitator.

Fellowships

  • Students may pursue summer fellowships focused on negotiation and dispute resolution as opportunities arise. See also our summer fellowship page.  

Clinics

  • In both the Civil Practice Clinic and the Juvenile and Family Law Clinic, students are trained in negotiations. Students in both clinics participate in court-ordered mediations for family law cases. This provides students with opportunities to write confidential pre-mediation statements and be present and participate with their clients during the mediations. Students do not participate as mediator neutrals.

Dispute Resolution Faculty

Professor of Law Scott Peppet 

Professor of Law Scott Peppet 

 

 

Associate Professor of Law Anna Spain Bradley

Associate Professor of Law Anna Spain

Associate Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs Deborah Cantrell

Associate Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs Deborah Cantrell

Student Testimonials

Megan Coontz McAllister

"Colorado Law has endless opportunities for students to gain experience in dispute resolution. My experience working with the CU Restorative Justice program has been a valuable part of my law school experience, and has allowed me to develop skills in effective communication and collaborative problem solving. Skills in negotiation, mediation, and effective communication are invaluable for lawyers. The courses, clinics, externships, and extracurricular opportunities at Colorado Law equip students with these important skills.” Megan Coontz McAllister ('15)

 

 

 

 

 

Zoe Osterman

"I am beyond grateful for the range of opportunities that Colorado Law provides in the field of Dispute Resolution. From involvement with the Legal Alternative Dispute Resolution Club to participation in CU's Restorative Justice Program to an externship at the Native American Rights Fund; all of these offerings have allowed me to explore what other options there are beyond litigation for resolving disputes. More than that, these opportunities continue to challenge me to develop crucial interpersonal, conflict-management, cultural awareness, and communication skills that I know I will utilize in both my personal and professional life moving forward." Zoe Osterman ('15)

 

 

 

 

Karen Wilson

"CU’s course offerings that identify alternatives to the adversarial legal system have offered an excellent exploration into alternative forms of dispute resolution and their advantages.”  Karen Wilson ('15)

National Champions

Defeating 42 teams and Cornell Law in the finals, William Myer ('15), Christopher Stanko ('14), and John Delva ('14), won the 2014 National Transactional LawMeet in New York City.