Details

For most lawyers, negotiation is a major part of their professional duties. Of those matters that come into a lawyer's office, the vast majority are resolved by negotiation. Negotiation: communication for the purpose of persuasion is also is a major element of everyday life. This course is designed to give students experience in negotiation, as well as a grounding in negotiation theory. The emphasis of the course is on experiential learning. Students spend most of their time participating in negotiation simulations, as well as discussing negotiation problems. Students are observed in their negotiations and receive feedback. Several negotiations are videotaped for later viewing and feedback. The negotiation simulations cover a wide range of situations. In past years, students have negotiated the settlement of lawsuits, neighborhood disputes, campus disputes, personal services contracts, contracts for the sale and purchase of commercial and residential property, intra-family disputes, corporate takeovers, international disputes and labor disputes. The class meets either one afternoon or one evening per week. There also are required meetings with other students outside class hours in order to negotiate or prepare for negotiations. The Negotiation sections require student participation in groups and in pairs. If a student misses a class, they cause their entire group to lose a learning opportunity. For this reason, there is a strict attendance policy. If you miss a class or scheduled feedback session, your grade will be lowered unless the absence is due to illness. If you are planning to miss class to travel for interviews, it is recommended that you take the course either in the spring semester where we offer multiple sections, or in the summer semester. Participation in advanced rounds of moot court or a student competition is not a basis for an excused absence. A student who is not present at the first class for any reason other than illness, reported to the instructor on or before the day of the first class, will be dropped from the course. The last date for dropping is the first meeting day. No drops will be allowed after that date. Evaluation: Demonstrated comprehension of the principles of effective negotiation exercises, team project and prenegotiation analysis. This course is the equivalent of LITARB 670K (Negotiations KSM) and also Cross-Cultural Negotiations. Students may take only one for credit. Teaching method: Some lecture, discussion and simulation Text: "Getting to Yes" / The Heart and Mind of the Negotiator Prerequisites: None