Katherine Greenwood, JD, PhD joined us for an eye-opening dialogue about her journey to becoming the University Ombuds for USC’s UPC Campus.

In her role, she listens to her visitors, connects them with valuable resources, and helps people work toward solving their own problems. Her career advice for students was (1) be patient with yourself, (2) say yes to opportunities that sound interesting, and (3) continue to pursue your dreams even if it takes longer than you would like.

Jason Harper spoke with our current ADR students about his career trajectory: he went from being a 7th grade teacher to running a successful mediation practice focused on education mediation and conflict resolution training.

For those wanting to begin their own practices, his most critical advice was: (1) know yourself and your expertise, (2) be ready to network, and (3) say “yes” to new opportunities! He shared about his experience with both SCMA and MC3, describing how both contributed to his growth personally as a mediator, and his professional growth as a dispute resolution leader in the education sector.

Leading his discussion with our ADR students, Spyridon Antonelos shared his thoughtful insights about what it takes to pursue an international mediation and ombudsperson career: passion and empathy – for self and for others.

As the first to advocate for mediation in his home-country of Greece, he had a unique perspective on how one can pursue mediation no matter their background. As we heard from all of our speakers, the most important aspect of a successful mediator is the ability to prioritize listening and promote discussion.

The Center's Director, Professor Richard Peterson, participated in the 15th Annual Works in Progress Conference of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution at the University of Oregon School of Law on October 8, 2022.

Peterson’s presentation entitled, “Resolving Special Education Disputes Between Parents and School Districts Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” focused his ongoing scholarship for a book he is writing that is based on more than twenty years of experience teaching, training, and working with parents and school districts in the effective resolution of conflict regarding the education of children with disabilities. 

Professor Peterson previously taught Special Education Law, Disability Law, Dispute Resolution in Education and directed a law school special education advocacy clinic for more than 15 years prior to coming to the USC Gould School of Law. He is the author of two articles relating Therapeutic Jurisprudence with special education law under the IDEA: 

In November, USC Gould proudly hosted a special discussion featuring the Honorable Dorothy W. Nelson and Lisa Kloppenberg, author of The Best Beloved Thing Is Justice: The Life of Dorothy Wright Nelson.

Judge Nelson was one of the nation's first women law professors and pioneered incorporating ADR coursework into the USC Gould curriculum in 1957. She was appointed Dean of USC Gould in 1969, becoming the first woman dean of a major ABA law school.

Today, she serves as a distinguished jurist on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The USC-JAMS Arbitration Institute is an annual symposia featuring captivating keynote speakers and knowledgeable panelists from around the world speaking to timely issues in international arbitration. Attendees have the opportunity meet these participants and network at post-event receptions.

Recent installments have covered topics including the divide between civil and common law, the Singapore Convention, the future of international arbitration, the impact of disruptors in global entertainment, and renewable energy dispute resolution.

The USC Gould-JAMS Arbitration Institute will host its 7th Annual International Arbitration Symposium on March 16, 2023 in partnership with SIAC, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. The 2023 Symposium will be held on USC’s University Park campus in downtown Los Angeles, with select sessions streamed via Zoom.

Interested in sponsorships? Contact pascherin@law.usc.edu.

ADR Info Sessions | Know someone interested in ADR? Have them join one of our upcoming info sessions to learn more about our LLM, Master's and certificates focused on conflict resolution.

View our upcoming events here or reach out to ADR@law.usc.edu.

Meet Zhongliang Gai, an aspiring dispute resolution professional from China who chose to pursue his Master of Dispute Resolution (MDR) degree at the USC Gould School of Law.

Learn more about his experience in the Summer Law & English program to hone his mediation and negotiation skills before starting his master’s degree in this video.

Meet Sharvani Navangul, an attorney from India driven by strong female leaders in law and a personal drive to collaborate through communication.

In the second grade, I adjudicated a dispute as a judge for the “best fruit” at the annual day play. Dawning legal attire, I declared to my parents: “I want to be a lawyer.” My family inspired me with stories of fierce women in law, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Savitribai Phule, Sandra Day O’Connor and Leela Seth. I had RBG’s luminous words, “women belong in all places decisions are being made,” pasted over my bed. I wanted to become a trailblazer in law.

When I began studying the law, I had a chance to volunteer at the Legal Aid Clinic and help at Lok Adalats (People’s Court) and Panchayats (elective village councils), where the Clinic assisted in fast-tracking disputes. I subsequently had the opportunity to interact with some wonderful people from Lawyers without Borders, and I saw how effective communication between the parties could aid in resolving disputes with a “win-win” outcome. I wanted to pursue justice that pushed parties towards a solution that they could follow and that mended their relationship. ADR is a new concept in India, and while researching my interests, I read about Professor Peterson’s concept of “therapeutic justice” and the Practical Mediation Clinic at USC Gould. I knew I had to learn mediation and dispute resolution in an environment which allowed me to practice and learn, and thus I enrolled at USC Gould.

The program is exceptional, no wonder it ranks top 10 in the country! Unlike my prior schooling, the program at Gould is like diving straight into the water and then mastering the swim along the way. I was particularly fascinated by the teaching style and pattern of assignments, which pushed us to reflect on situations rather than simply learn cases or statutes.

My most memorable experience was during the Mediation Theory and Practice class taught by Professor Goetz. We had been learning mediation styles and conducting role plays for quite some time, and then one day I received an email that said: “you’re the mediator in a civil harassment dispute.” I had never dealt with civil harassment cases, let alone mediated them. But Prof. Goetz took extra effort to teach us the basics of such disputes and pushed us into the water. We had coaches who observed us mediate and provided valuable feedback. After the exercise, I received great feedback on how I actively listened, figured out the fine print arrangements, and redirected ancillary issues to the proper authority. I know it will take much more skill development, but I can confidently say that I am no longer scared of civil harassment mediations!

When I came to the U.S., I received one valuable piece of advice from my father: “this country values merit.” I witnessed it firsthand when I had an interview for the position of Research Assistant at the Law Library, a job only open for J.D. students at the time. It has been a few weeks since I started as the R.A. for the Law Library, and outside of my studies, it has been one of the most fun and fulfilling experiences. I have worked on various laws in my short duration, and I have gained a valuable glimpse of the legal system in the U.S.!

USC Gould has so far given me exposure to the huge Trojan alumni network and truly taught me to think like a lawyer. I intend to take the California Bar and work as an attorney. I want to focus on employment and civil mediations within a corporate set-up after the conclusion of my degree at USC Gould. Having worked for four years as an attorney in India, I want to use the knowledge I gain here at USC to tap into resolving disputes in imbalanced power situations.

Each day is a learning opportunity, from observing how your barista handles customers to negotiating through a deadlock. Another thing to keep in mind is patience. You will need lots of it. From starting your application journey to finally coming here, the process will truly build up the best quality in a lawyer – to be patient if you want to take away the best deal. So just be yourself, and don’t be afraid to leap.

Meet Xochilt Rosas, who went back to school to transition her career in law enforcement to a career in mediation.

I have always had an interest in learning about law. My Barbies arrested and Mirandized each other. I went into the law enforcement field because I loved learning and enforcing the law. What sparked my interest to further learn about law was my transition into a second career as a mediator, learning about law and how to apply it in a mediation setting.

I began my career in law enforcement. My whole career has been about conflict resolution. My passion for resolving disputes led me to pursue a degree in mediation as I transition into a second career.

I chose USC for several reasons. The MDR program provided an opportunity for working professionals like me to attend part-time and evening classes. In addition, the Human Resources Law and Compliance Certificate was a perfect addition and benefit for me. After walking the various campuses, USC was the most diverse! The diversity I observed gave me comfort and a sense of belonging. The certification options coupled with the diversity USC provided was a win-win for me!

The transition was an experience. The first semester was tough. However, I utilized the law school's resources, attended seminars, I had my advisor on speed dial and had the best classmates. My classmates and I have formed great friendships that made the transition much easier.

This is going to sound like a Hollywood moment and corny at the same time. I attended a training years ago and was subscribed to Mediate.com. I received the Mediate.com monthly newsletter. In an effort to improve professionally I read the articles, printed them and kept them on my desk at work for reference. I had a stack of articles from a particular mediator. When I enrolled my first semester at USC, ADR Ethics was a requirement for the Mediation Dispute Resolution program. I learned that I was going to be taking a class taught by the very author whose articles I had been collecting, Professor Phyllis G. Pollack. It was like I was star struck; I told everyone in my office, and they all laughed and told me to ask her for an autograph! Professor Pollack did not disappoint, and I loved her short 8-week class. That was my most memorable experience at USC.

The mediation degree has provided me with an education and some mediation experience (through the mediation skills clinic) to be well rounded in all aspects of my career. What I have learned I have applied as a board director for the union, my law enforcement career and personal life.

I doubted myself when I applied to USC. Returning to school to begin a new career path was not going to be easy. USC has numerous resources to assist in reaching our goals. I loved my classes, professors and the friends I have made. I believe in keeping the faith, having heart and passion for what you want to achieve. Fight On!!

Leonardo Machuca Jr. | ADR Certificate 2022

A recent ADR Certificate graduate, Leonardo is now working for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services as a Children's Social Worker III.

The skills learned from the ADR Certificate program have allowed him to better engage with families and provide better services through careful listening, asking appropriate questions, empowering individuals and formulating better outcomes for families. Fight On!