Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor Julie Linkins

J.D. Seminar 317 | 3 credit hours

This intensive, interactive seminar is designed to teach participants the theory and practice of effective negotiation and negotiation advocacy so that they may improve their skill in joint problem solving and joint decision making. Negotiation skills are best learned by doing, so this seminar includes numerous opportunities for participants to enact the skills, principles, and approaches learned. The simulations and activities are designed to familiarize students with the negotiating process, help them prepare for entering and conducting a formal negotiation, teach them to identify and engage in the types of informal negotiations that occur every day, allow them to experiment with various styles and techniques, and introduce a variety of practical and ethical problems that they might encounter. Simulations are derived from a range of practice areas, including interpersonal, commercial, transactional, and international disputes, among others. The effects of culture, gender, power, politics, psychology, neuroscience, and personal conflict styles will be examined. Participants will apply their negotiation skills in the real world and evaluate the results. The course will also explore the use of alternative dispute resolution and conflict management systems to break or avert impasse in negotiation and facilitate the constructive handling of conflict. Participants will learn to negotiate by actively engaging in simulations and discussions, analyzing negotiation exercises, receiving critique, keeping a reflective journal that addresses the links between theory and practice, as well as conducting a negotiation outside of class and then presenting and critiquing the results and lessons learned. This class meets on two Friday afternoons (1:15 p.m.-5:45 p.m.) and four weekend days (9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.); attendance at all sessions is mandatory. Grades will be based on class participation, development and application of negotiation skills, journal quality (including analysis, application of theory and principles, self-reflection, creativity, style, organization, and grammar), a 5-page paper, and a presentation.

Prerequisite: Completion of all first year courses except Property and Criminal Justice (or the equivalent Democracy and Coercion), or Criminal Procedure is required.

Students may not receive credit for both this seminar and the Negotiations and Mediation Seminar; or Negotiations and Mediation in a Public Interest Setting, or Contracts: Structure and Negotiations or Negotiations and Drafting Seminar.

In Spring 2014, this seminar will meet for 6 days of intensive sessions as follows: 2/21 and 3/28, 1:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.; 2/22, 2/23, 3/29 and 3/30, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Students must attend each class session in its entirety in order to receive credit for the seminar. All enrolled and waitlisted students must attend the first class session in order to be enrolled.

If you are planning to take the MPRE in Spring 2014 it may conflict with this course because the MPRE will be offered on a Saturday in March. The date should be released by the National Conference of Bar Examiners in October and will be available at http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/mpre-test-dates-and-application-deadlines/.