The 2017 Symposium featured a variety of initiatives towards healing in our politically turbulent times. Panels focused on holistic ways in which conflict resolution can 

be used to better not only individual, interpersonal and legal relationships, but also society as a whole.  

Michael Tsur was the keynote speaker. In his talk, Building an Adequate Negotiation Curriculum for Our Conflict Ridden Times,

Tsur emphasized the importance of negotiation using real world examples from his own experience, which included negotiating hostage crises in Israel. Tsur, who teaches negotiation both at Cardozo and Mitchell-Hamline, has founded his own negotiation school in Israel named Shakla & Tariya.  

On May 9, 2018, Tracey Frisch, Staff Attorney at the American Arbitration Association and Robyn Weinstein, ADR Coordinator for the EDNY, presented at the NYSBA Event at Fordham Law School entitled "The Litigative DNA: The Underutilization of Mediation in NY."  The purpose of the conference was to explore the contemporary role of mediation in New York and examine how other jurisdictions have implemented robust and thriving mediation programs. Frisch and Weinstein showcased the work in their respective organizations and advocated for increased use of mediation in the private and public sector.  

Pictured here: Tracey Frisch (left) and Robyn Weinstein (right)

The 2018 ABA Dispute Resolution Conference in Washington, D.C. allowed me to immerse myself in my new role as CJCR's Editor-in-Chief and to meet leaders in the dispute resolution field, to hear exciting presentations, and to learn about new career paths for myself.  I came away from the Conference determined to gain more expertise in conflict resolution as a 3L and to get to know the Cardozo alums--practitioners and academics--at the forefront of the mediation and arbitration field.

It was wonderful to go sightseeing in Washington, D.C., at the peak of the cherry blossoms with Professors Donna Erez-Navot and Brian Farkas.

Pictured from left to right: Brian Farkas ('13), Goetz Fitzpatrick LLP, Donna Erez-Navot ('06), Interim Director of the Kukin Program and Nicholas  Gliagias , Editor-in-Chief of the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

To everyone reading this newsletter:

I have been an adjunct professor at Cardozo since 2008 so this year marks my 10th year of teaching at Cardozo. In the Fall 2017, I welcome our LL.M. colleagues to the Cardozo community through Introduction to U.S. Law and I work with JD and LL.M. students through the Interviewing and Counseling Seminar.  The Introduction to U.S. Law offering provides international LL.M. students an overview of the United States Constitution and our tripartite system of federal government. The Interviewing and Counseling Seminar enables participants to hone two of the most fundamental lawyering skills within various civil and criminal litigation scenarios.  In the Winter Session I serve as the Lead Instructor for the Intensive Mediation Advocacy Program ("IMAP"), an intensive course which prepares participants to effectively advocate for clients in both private and court-annexed fora.  During the Spring 2018, I instructed separate sections of Dispute Resolution Processes for our JD and LL.M. colleagues.  This experiential course enabled students to demonstrate mastery of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and emerging conflict management processes through role play exercises.

Carolina Velez '14 at GetHelp

Carolina Velez is an Advocacy Manager with GetHelp. Her role is to de-escalate situations in which customers threaten to file lawsuits against Microsoft. Carolina investigates the situation and hosts a facilitative conversation with the goal of resolving the issues. She uses the skills she learned at Cardozo from her mediation training, as well as her experiences in Moot Court.