The Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution provides a forum for the advanced study of the nature of conflict and how to resolve it. Through our scholarly research, coursework, lectures, conferences, and workshops, we explore a wide array of disputes—public and private as well as regional, national, and international.

During the Fall 2024 semester, Distinguished Saltman Fellow Professor Patrick Chapin launched two new courses aimed at enhancing students' skills in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and experiential learning. The courses, Negotiation for Business Lawyers and Arbitration Law & Practice, provided students with practical, hands-on opportunities to develop key legal and negotiation competencies.

Negotiation for Business Lawyers focused on the foundational processes, strategies, negotiation ethics, and principles of agency that business lawyers must navigate in their practice. The course equipped students with skills to communicate effectively within the scope of legal authority granted by their business clients—whether individuals or organizations.

In Arbitration Law & Practice, students delved into the laws, ethical considerations, and procedural requirements necessary for effective arbitration. The course included experiential learning components, where students represent clients through all phases of the arbitration process, culminating in a simulated full hearing before an experienced arbitrator (pictured above).

This spring semester, Professor Chapin will debut his third new course, Negotiation and the Litigated Case. The course offers an in-depth exploration of the terminology, process, strategies, ethics, and practices specific to negotiation in the context of litigation. Students will develop essential skills for effective and strategic communication with all parties involved while learning how to counsel clients through the intricacies of settlement advocacy. The course features a series of practical exercises, culminating in a simulated negotiation of a litigated case, providing students with hands-on experience in managing real-world disputes.

Saltman Center Faculty Spotlight:

Recent Articles, Publications, & Presentations 

The Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV continues to enhance its global reputation for producing impactful scholarship and research in the multifaceted field of dispute resolution. Check out their most recent work in the link below.

Saltman Visiting Professor Michael Moffitt

Michael Moffitt, the Philip H. Knight Chair and Professor of Law at the University of Oregon Law School, was a Saltman Visiting Professor in September 2024. He taught a special course on Labor Negotiations that included a full-day labor negotiation simulation. He also presented as part of our Faculty Enrichment Speaker Series on "Settlement Malpractice," his award-winning article on why the current legal malpractice system is ill-suited for the vast majority of what lawyers do: negotiate and advise clients on settling cases out of court. He also shared a current work-in-progress with the Saltman faculty "Dispute Resolution Journal Club."

Save the Date:

Beecroft Lecture 2025

Mark your calendars for March 27, 2025, as the annual Beecroft Lecture welcomes Donna Shestowsky, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis School of Law, to present her talk titled "Top Five Tips for Lawyers for Effective ADR Client Counseling." Shestowsky will present on March 27, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the Thomas and Mack Moot Court on the campus of UNLV.