At George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., consumer mediation clinic participants mediate disputes between businesses and unhappy customers. Students handled about 100 mediations last year alone, from problems with home-improvement contractors to disagreements over the cost of automobile repair. At other institutions, including Harvard and Brooklyn law schools, interested students mediate in small claims court. Explosive growth . New juris doctors who do decide to work at dispute resolution full time might find a home in one of the many firms with ADR practice groups.
Career opportunities are more limited for aspiring third party neutrals.
Because feuding parties usually choose their own arbitrator or mediator, already practicing neutrals, current lawyers, and the slew of retiring judges and attorneys starting second careers in ADR all of whom have years of experience and vast referral networks enjoy a serious advantage. While Hollywood still prefers its lawyers locked in courtroom battle, it's clear the real-world dramas will increasingly involve peacemakers. A guide for that long, strange trip into the real world. Subscribe now for articles, tools, and expert advice. Make your searches count.