Environmental Dispute Resolution Seminar

The Environmental Dispute Resolution seminar offers a whirlwind tour of the environmental, natural resources, and public policy negotiation world, from two-party real estate "green development" discussions to multi-party environmental justice policy issues to international natural resources mediations. The course is designed to build students' mutual-gains and cross-cultural negotiation skills throughout the semester, through participating in a multitude of simulations created by the Harvard Project on Negotiation, the Willamette Dispute Resolution Center, and Lewis & Clark's own staff and alumni. Students will experience different negotiation perspectives first-hand by taking on the roles of attorney, client, task force member and national delegate, focusing on problem-solving approaches and gaining a sense for the dynamics of complex negotiations involving multiple stakeholders.

This course also offers a separate track for those who want to develop their skills as mediators and facilitators.

There is no prerequisite for this seminar, which is designed to complement the Alternative Dispute Resolution class and other dispute resolution offerings at Lewis & Clark. The seminar is limited to 20 participants.

Students are evaluated based on participation in class discussions and negotiations, written products (negotiation preparatory materials and reflective journals), and a final exam. The seminar is not designed to meet the Writing Intensive Experience or Capstone requirement.

The American Bar Association accreditation standards require students to regularly attend the courses in which they are registered. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and to prepare for classes conscientiously. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. Any attendance guidelines for a given class must be provided to students in a syllabus or other written document at the start of the semester. Sanctions (e.g., required withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment, and/or a failing grade) will be imposed for poor attendance.

* Typically offered every other year