5 Tips for Strategic Negotiation
Recently, I addressed members of the Florida Justice Association at its annual Workhorse Conference in Orlando, Fla. The presentation was titled “Deconstructing Mediation: Finding Leverage and Maintaining Tactical Advantage in Mediation.” The confere... Read More
Law School Class Feels a Little Flat After Exciting Speaker
After last week’s incredible guest lecture by a veteran crisis negotiator from the Orlando Police Department, my lecture this week felt “flat” by comparison. The visiting detective truly was a tough act to follow. It’s not that the material we were c... Read More
Crisis Negotiator Mediation Students How to Redirect Unproductive Behaviors
We had another guest speaker join us this week for class at Florida A&M University College of Law – a veteran detective for the Orlando Police Department who happens to be one of the agency’s most experienced crisis negotiators. My students and I sat... Read More
Mediator/Professor Tries to Model Patience, Diplomacy for Students
Last weekend, I attended a picnic sponsored by the law school. One of my students came over to the table where I was working and introduced me to her significant other. The young man told me that my student had been encouraging him to use some of the... Read More
Law School Exercise Challenges Stereotypes, Assumptions
During our third week of class, I created a new exercise to help my students identify stereotypes and learn to refrain from prejudging other people. I asked the students to characterize the homes in which they were raised and to share one important f... Read More
Law School Professor/Mediator Feels More at Home
What a difference seven days can make. During my second week as a law school professor, I felt much more confident in my abilities at the lectern. In no small part, that was because none of my students dropped the course after hearing me speak in wee... Read More
Teaching Law School Class About Mediation
I have always wanted to teach a law school class. So, when the Dean of Academic Affairs at FAMU College of Law called to invite me to teach a course about mediation, I jumped at the opportunity. After 23 years as a practicing lawyer, I am finally c... Read More
Basic Training 2: Gaining Mediation Insight
Scheduling can be one of the biggest challenges in getting ready for a mediation, particularly if the case involves numerous attorneys. It is important to place a hold on the mediator’s calendar as soon as possible so that you will preserve the date.... Read More
