West LA Alumni Chapter: Beer on the Beach
2026-05-14 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Oahu Country Club, 150 Country Club Rd, Honolulu, HI, 96817, United States
All Los Angeles area alumni are invited to join the West LA chapter for our 5th annual Beer on the Beach: Santa Monica edition at the Bungalow. Drinks and light bites will be generously sponsored by Jon Davidi ’18 and Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP. Come expand your network, meet other UC Law SF alumni in the area, and raise a glass with us.
Thank you to our West LA Alumni Chapter Leaders, Natalie Alameddine ’13 and Jon Davidi ’18, for hosting this event.
Please RSVP by May 13th.

A Matter of Conscience: Sanctuary in the 1980s to the Present
2026-05-27 17:30 - 19:30 | 333-501 and SkyDeck
Please join the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), Race, Immigration, Citizenship, and Equality (RICE) Center, and the Law & Society Association (LSA) for a film screening and discussion exploring the Sanctuary Movement that took root in the United States in the 1980s. The movement, born in a time when the U.S. rejected the asylum claims of those fleeing U.S. funded wars in El Salvador and Guatemala, was, and continues to be a concrete form of resistance. This year, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Refugee Convention during a time of unprecedented challenges to refugee protection worldwide. We come together at this moment to draw inspiration from the Sanctuary Movement, and the courage and conscience of those who have participated in it. The event will feature a presentation by documentary filmmaker Theo Rigby, with excerpts from two of his films, and will include remarks by Karen Musalo, Ming Hsu Chen, Jose Artiga and Pastor Drew Paton.
RSVP Here!

Center for Racial and Economic Justice - AdDRESS for Success: Adopting Affirming and Legally Compliant Dress Codes as Positive School Climate and Health Protective Policy Interventions Webinar
2026-06-11 13:00 - 14:30 | Webinar
Due to unforeseen and extenuating circumstances, the webinar scheduled on Thursday, June 11 has been cancelled until further notice. Please look out for more details to follow with a new date and time. Thank you.

Register Here to Attend Virtually! (Postponed Until Further Notice)

Reflective Mediation Practice Group
2026-07-08 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-08-12 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-09-09 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-14 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-11-11 17:30 - 19:30 | 198 McAllister St., 198 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
Bring your mediation practice to the next level by participating in a reflective practice group!
Reflective practice groups are among the most effective ongoing learning experiences available to mediators. Under the guidance of an experienced mediator and facilitator, a small group of mediators meets regularly to take turns reflecting on their individual mediation cases. The group supports the mediator presenting a case to discover what mediator interventions worked best and what mediator behaviors created challenges. This collaborative exploration enhances awareness of the dynamics at play and increases the potential of learning from each mediation experience. Participants will be expected to anonymize all case identifying information so as to ensure strict confidentiality.
Beginning in January 2026, the Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR) at UC Law San Francisco will offer a 6-session monthly practice group led by experienced mediator and mediation trainer Howard Herman. Currently a mediator at JAMS, Howard pioneered the use of practice groups for mediators at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco where he led the court’s ADR Program for 23 years, and where many mediators participated continuously in groups he led for over 15 years. Howard also has led practice groups for mediators in India and Brazil. Howard’s fuller biography can be found at jamsadr.com/herman.

Group Structure and Approach
The group will meet in person. It will be limited to 12 participants and is open to all practicing mediators. Generally, each session will be focused on mediator presentations of cases in which they have been involved. Rather than starting with a topic, discussion flows from what actually happened and the choices the mediator made throughout the process.
Key to a successful group is the creation of a safe and confidential environment of mutual support and respect, making stable membership and small group size important. Participants commit to in-person attendance at all six two-hour sessions, and to write up and present at least one case for discussion during the six-month period.
MCLE: 12 hours general credit for the series, including 1 hour of elimination of bias credit (excludes implicit bias/bias reducing strategies), 1 hour of competence credit (excludes prevention and detection), and 1 hour of ethics credit
Cost: $595 for the full series
If you are interested in joining the group, please complete this application.
Applications will be taken on a rolling basis until the group is full.

The Master Mediator Training: Advanced Issues, Cross-Cultural Fluency and the Human Element
2026-07-22 08:30 - 2026-07-24 17:00 | 198-213
The Master Mediator Training: Advanced Issues, Cross-Cultural Fluency and the Human Element
July 22-24, 2026

Lead Instructor: Dr. Sukhsimranjit Singh, Ph.D, LL.M, LLB, BA.
Guest Instructors: Day 1: Daniel Weinstein, Day 2: Deep Basraon, and Day 3: Bruce Edwards

Program Vision
Most mediation training focuses on the “rational” process of deal-making. However, true mastery recognizes that mediation has an emotional and psychological architecture. In the age of Artificial Intelligence, this training dives deeper into what makes the mediation process human. This course is designed for the practitioner who feels “stuck” in traditional distributive bargaining and seeks tools to effectively handle complex, high-stakes, and polarized disputes.
By blending Dr. Sukhsimranjit Singh’s “Heart from East and Mind from West” philosophy with neuroscience, cross-cultural decision making and behavioral economics, participants will learn to navigate the hidden ego and power dynamics that define the modern mediation table.

More information

Pathways to Law Teaching
2026-08-05 08:30 - 13:30 | 198 Auditorium
If you are considering or would like to learn more about becoming a law professor, please join us for a pre-recruitment workshop at UC College of the Law, San Francisco (“UC Law SF,” formerly “UC Hastings”) on August 5. This half-day event is co-hosted by participating ABA-accredited law schools in Northern California in coordination with the American Association of Law Schools. It is one of several regional workshops taking place nationally.

The co-hosts of the August 5 regional workshop in San Francisco include:

Santa Clara University School of Law
Stanford Law School
UC Berkeley School of Law
UC Davis School of Law
UC Law SF (formerly “UC Hastings”)
UOP McGeorge School of Law
University of San Francisco School of Law

The August 5 half-day workshop focuses on pathways to securing full-time law school faculty roles that involve a mix of teaching and research, commonly called “tenure-track roles.” The event is free to registered attendees. It includes two substantive panels. The first focuses on pre-market considerations, such as how to create a scholarly record and prepare a “job talk” article, pre-market teaching opportunities such as “VAPs” and fellowships, and information on how to apply for tenure-track positions. The second panel focuses on the interview process at law schools, including advice on how to give a successful job talk, how to interview well, and the hiring process, including timelines.

Again, the focus of this particular workshop on August 5 is on tenure-track (teaching and research) positions at ABA-accredited law schools. There are many other rewarding pathways into and in legal academia, including teaching as a part-time (adjunct) professor or serving in full-time teaching roles that do not involve research, such as in contract clinical, writing, or other lawyering skills teaching roles. This workshop does not address those other pathways. However, a prior workshop held last year at UC Berkeley School of Law did, and you can find recordings of those sessions on this page.

To register, you must complete this registration survey. Be sure to select the San Francisco iteration of the pre-recruitment event. As a standard security precaution, only registered participants will be admitted to the event. Please bring a form of identification such as a driver’s license.

For more information and resources, see these pages:

2025 Pre-Recruitment Workshop at UC Berkeley School of law.
AALS “Becoming a Law Teacher” website.
AALS list of pre-market VAP and fellowship programs.
National tenure-track hiring data.

Contents

Program Schedule

Speaker Biographies

More Information

Program Schedule

Time
Program

8:30 am – 9:15 am

Breakfast

9:15 am – 9:30 am

Welcome Remarks
Speaker: Morris Ratner, Provost & Academic Dean, Professor of Law, UC Law San Francisco

9:30 am – 10:50 am

Panel #1 Pre-Market Considerations
Panelists:

Eric Goldman, Associate Dean of Research, Professor of Law and Co-Director, High Tech Law Institute, Santa Clara University
Donna Stestowsky, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law, University of California – Davis
Scott Dodson, Horace O. Coil Chair in Litigation, Geoffrey C. Hazard Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law, and Director of the Center for Litigation and the Courts, UC Law San Francisco

Moderator:

Jonathan Glater, Professor of Law, Associate Dean, J.D. Curriculum and Teaching, Faculty Director of the Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice, University of California – Berkeley

10:50 am – 11:00 am

Break

11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Panel #2 Job Talks and Interviews
Panelists:

Ben Depoorter, Max Radin Distinguished Professor, UC Law San Francisco
Jarrod Wong, Professor of Law, Co-Director, McGeorge Global Center for Business and Development, Co-Director, International Certificate of Concentration, University of Pacific – San Francisco
Lindsay Harris, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills and Director, Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project, University of San Francisco

Moderator:

Jennifer Chacon, Bruce Tyson Mitchell Professor of Law, Associate Dean for the JD Program, Stanford Law School

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Lunch and Networking

Speaker Biographies

Jennifer M. Chacón
Bruce Tyson Mitchell Professor of Law, Associate Dean for the JD Program, Stanford Law School

Ben Depoorter
Max Radin Distinguished Professor, UC Law San Francisco

Scott Dodson
Horace O. Coil Chair in Litigation, Geoffrey C. Hazard Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law, and Director of the Center for Litigation and the Courts, UC Law San Francisco

Jonathan D. Glater
Professor of Law, Associate Dean, J.D. Curriculum and Teaching, Faculty Director of the Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice, University of California – Berkeley

Eric Goldman
Associate Dean of Research, Professor of Law and Co-Director, High Tech Law Institute, Santa Clara University

Linday Harris
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills and Director, Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project, University of San Francisco

Morris Ratner
Provost & Academic Dean, Professor of Law, UC Law San Francisco

Donna Shestowsky
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law, University of California – Davis

Jarrod Wong
Professor of Law, Co-Director, McGeorge Global Center for Business and Development, Co-Director, International Certificate of Concentration, University of Pacific – San Francisco

More Information
For more information about this event at UC Law SF, please contact the Event Manager, Cynthia Diaz (diazcynthia@uclawsf.edu).

School Address and Room Location
This event will be held at 198 McAllister St. San Francisco, CA 94102. The BART stop closest to the law school is Civic Center. Please stop at the front desk and share your name and identification to be let into the building. https://www.uclawsf.edu/map-directions/

Parking Information
If you drive, parking is available for a fee at either of the following nearby locations:

UC Law SF Parking GarageLocated at 376 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102.Please check the current parking rates here: https://sites.uclawsf.edu/garage/parking-rates/
Civic Center GarageLocated at 355 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102.Please check the current parking rates here: https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/civic-center-garage

Register To Attend This Event

3rd Annual UC Law SF & Berkeley Law Alumni Mixer
2026-08-20 17:30 - 19:30 | 333 Deb Colloquium and Sky Deck, 5th Floor Cotchett Law Center, 333 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
Let’s end the summer on a high note!
All UC Law SF Bay Area Alumni and UC Berkeley Law Alumni are invited to the 3rd Annual UC Law SF & Berkeley Law Alumni Mixer.
Delicious tacos and drinks will be provided. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow professionals in the Bay Area, connect with old friends, and expand your network.
Please RSVP by August 13th.

Fundamentals of Mediation
2026-08-31 08:30 - 2026-09-04 18:00 | 198 McAllister St., 198 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
A 40-hour basic mediation training program, including certificate of completion and optional MCLE credit.
The UC Law SF Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR) presents its’ annual 40-hour comprehensive mediation practitioner training. This program provides a unique blend of mediation theory, hands-on mediation skills training, and an exploration of the sensibilities and personal qualities required to be an effective mediator.
This in-person program is useful for a range of professionals who deal with people in conflict, and any attorney who represents clients in mediation, to understand the process and to be more effective in representing clients in mediation. We also encourage participation of international attorneys, notaries and Hastings LL.M. students. No prior training or experience required.

In this highly interactive and dynamic training, participants from around the world learn the theory and practice of mediation. The methodology consists of a mixture of discussion, skill building exercises and role play. All participants will have the opportunity to practice multiple times in the client, advocate and mediator roles and will receive personalized feedback and coaching from professional mediators.
We start with the psychology and behavior of people in conflict and the different process choices parties can make when seeking to resolve conflict. We examine the different styles or models of mediation and the implications of those models for the client experience. We then explore and practice every phase of a mediation, from opening and setting the stage, to exploration of interests and issues, negotiating agreements, preparation of settlement documents and closure.

Combined with the practice of these phases, participants build critical communication and process management skills including how to:

Maintain neutrality
Balance power
Select appropriate influencing strategies
Decide whether, when and how to use private sessions (“caucus”)
Facilitate the “money dance”
Conduct a methodical alternatives analysis
Employ techniques for overcoming impasse
Convey “difficult” messages
Use active listening
Ask questions to move the clients in helpful directions
Handle difficult behavior and “reframe” problematic statements

Finally, we cover mediator ethics, process confidentiality, working with representatives and co-mediation.

What participants have to say:
“Fantastic! So happy I chose this program, it blew away my expectations. The role playing was especially valuable to measure progress and enforce the teaching.” – BT 2022

“I quit my job as a teacher to work in the Office of Civil Rights doing in-house dispute resolution and mediation. I could not have gotten this position without taking CNDR’s Fundamentals of Mediation Training, and I am so grateful for all of the skills I gained. I re-read Prof. Ford’s Peace at Work and feel even more prepared to take on this next challenge.” – BL, 2024

Format
All 40 hours will take place in-person during a live class, including small group role plays with individualized coaching. Each day includes 1.5 hours of total breaks.
Dates
Monday, August 31 – Friday, September 4, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. each day (PST)
Location
UC Law SF, 198 McAllister, San Francisco, CA 94102 (in-person training only)
MCLE
40 hours of California MCLE credits available, including 1.5 hrs Elimination of Bias and 2 hrs Legal Ethics. Be sure to select the “add on” for MCLE credit at checkout. MCLE Provider #9545.
Registration

Standard Registration Fee – $2,295
Alumni, Government, and Nonprofit Rate – $2,095

REGISTER HERE

Registration closes one week prior to the training, or when enrollments have reached maximum capacity, whichever comes first. Space is limited; register early.
Another training is scheduled for March 2-6, 2026. See more information here.
Questions to CNDR@uclawsf.edu.

Instructor

Adjunct Professor John Ford, BA LLB (UCT) is an experienced workplace mediator and soft-skills trainer. John studied law at the University of Cape Town before moving to Namibia, where he practiced from 1988 to 1995. Initially, he focused on representing survivors of human-rights abuses. After Namibian independence in 1990, his focus shifted to labor and employment law. John moved to California in 1996 and trained as a mediator. He has since successfully mediated hundreds of workplace disputes, and has worked with numerous teams to help them deal successfully with conflict.

John has provided training to thousands of employees at all levels in the workplace, across a wide range of industries. His workshops focus on the development of soft skills, such as communication, negotiation, facilitation, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, customer service and mediation. He is a past president of the Association for Dispute Resolution of Northern California (ADRNC), and was the managing editor of www.mediate.com from 2000 to 2011.

Cancellation Policy
For all CNDR events, cancellations on or before 30 days prior to the event will receive a full refund, minus an administrative fee of 7% of ticket price. Cancellations after 30 days prior to the event will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations on or after 5 days prior to the event will not receive a refund.
ADA Accommodations Statement
The University of California College of the Law, San Francisco is committed to making its facilities and events accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need reasonable accommodations, please contact CNDR at 415-581-8941 or CNDR@uclawsf.edu, or the Disability Access Hotline at 415-581-4848 or DAH@uclawsf.edu at least two weeks before the event.
Use of Materials Notice
The UC Law SF Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR) hereby irrevocably grants registrants/participants a limited, nonexclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free right and license to use materials provided and distributed by CNDR and/or UC Law SF in the course of the training herein for purposes of participation and personal/internal, non-commercial reference purposes.
Code of Conduct
The UC Law SF Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR) is dedicated to ensuring that its events and gatherings are an inclusive, respectful, productive, and harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, alienage or citizenship status, physical or mental ability, color, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, national origin, marital status or partnership status, pregnancy or lactation status, religion or creed, status as a veteran or active military service member or any other basis protected by U.S. federal, state, or local laws.
When participating in or attending a CNDR event, the following behaviors are expected:

Be present, timely, open-minded, and participate actively.
Act with respect and dignity towards everyone you encounter, including participants, staff, instructors, and coaches.
Be considerate and collegial in your speech and actions, valuing a diversity of views and opinions.
To support a participatory learning environment for everyone, be mindful of how much time you use (e.g. in discussions or Q&A sessions).
Behave in accordance with professional standards (such as your employer’s policies, or applicable law).
Alert on-premises security personnel and staff if you notice a dangerous situation or someone clearly in distress, or call 911 in case of an emergency.

Harassment, bullying, non-consensual physical contact, threats, microaggressions, intimidation, and/or insinuations that are hurtful or interfere with any other attendee’s experience or participation are examples of behaviors which are unacceptable and could be cause for removal from a CNDR event.

International Mediation and Leadership Development Institute (IMDLI)
2026-09-14 08:00 - 2026-09-18 17:00 | 333 Deb Colloquium and Sky Deck, 5th Floor Cotchett Law Center, 333 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
The UC Law San Francisco Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR), at the University of California College of Law, San Francisco, in partnership with the JAMS Foundation, is proud to present the International Mediation Development & Leadership Institute (IMDLI). IMDLI is intended for a diverse group of professionals—lawyers, judges, court administrators, academics, mediators, and others—interested in learning how to cultivate robust mediation ecosystems in their home countries and how to become an effective leader of mediation implementation and development. Top-level U.S. and international experts drawn from the court system, private ADR institutions, and universities will share best practices and lessons learned from decades of ADR reform experience—information that is rarely available to the public. Anticipated topics covered:

How mediation can promote access to justice and help reduce court backlogs
How to design and operate mediation centers (public/court annexed and private)
How to build capacity and ensure that such centers are sustainable into the future
How to draft mediation legislation and rules
The advantages and disadvantages of voluntary, mandatory, and judicial referral models
How to convince mediation skeptics and secure their buy-in
The social, political, economic, and legal ingredients and interventions necessary for a mediation center to thrive and for an ADR ecosystem or culture to take root
The importance of data collection and analysis
What empirical research on ADR tells us about the who, what, where, when, and how of mediation, including what works and what does not
Factors that have helped drive the success of mediation in the U.S. and other key jurisdictions

More information here.
Register Now

Aging Well: Health, Housing, and Justice in California
2026-09-23 08:15 - 17:00 | 198 Auditorium
Register here by September 1!
Hosted by UC Law SF, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Agenda
8:15 AM Breakfast
9 AM- 9:45 AM Welcome

Sarah Hooper, JD, Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the UCSF/UC Law SF Consortium on Law, Science & Health Policy, UC Law San Francisco

Susan DeMarois, Director, California Department of Aging

Katherine S. Ritchey, Vice President and Regional Counsel, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals/Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

Del Seymour, Founder & Board Vice President, Code Tenderloin

9:45-10:45 AM Plenary Session: Mapping Systems of Health, Housing and Justice for Older Adults in California

Moderator: Lauran Hardin, Chief Integration Officer, HC2 Strategies

Claire Ramsey, JD, MA, Chief Deputy Director for Disability, Adults and Housing Integration, California Department of Social Services

Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for Homelessness and Housing, Department of Health Care Services

Margot Kushel, MD, Professor of Medicine and Division Chief of the Division of Health and Society, Director of the Action Research Center for Health and the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, UC San Francisco

Kevin Prindiville, JD, Executive Director, Justice in Aging

10:45-11:00 AM Break
11:00 AM-12:30 PM Plenary Session: Advancing Health, Housing and Justice for Older Californians: What is Working?

Moderator: Wynnelena C. Canio, MD, Chief of Geriatric Medicine, Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center
Khin Aung, MD, MBA, Vice President of Healthcare Services, SCAN
Alexis Chettiar, PhD, ACNP-BC, CEO & Co-Founder, Cardea Health
Bertha Hayden-Sanchez, Associate Vice President of Justice for Seniors & Dependent Adults, Bet Tzedek
Anna Chodos, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General and the Division of Geriatrics, UCSF

12:30-2 PM Lunch/Networking

2-3:30 PM Breakout Session: Discussion Groups (Indicate preference at registration):
(1) Early Detection and Preventing Housing Loss
(2) Navigating Housing and Care Transitions
(3) Street Outreach and Service Connection
3:30-3:45 PM Transition to Reception

3:45-5 PM Reception and Closing Remarks

Intended Audience
The ability to age well with access to health, housing, and justice is a multidisciplinary, multisector endeavor. We invite leaders and managers of programs that serve older adults and their family caregivers in California in any these areas:

Health care (providers, plans, networks, teams)

Housing

Law/advocacy

Public guardian

LTSS/LTC

Behavioral health

Social services/CBOs

Payment/financing

Research/data analysis/academia

Convening Objectives

Connect health care, housing, advocacy, and other community-based organizations serving older Californians and their caregivers.

Build shared understanding of older adults’ specific needs and barriers across care, housing and advocacy, and strengthen collective knowledge of existing resources and infrastructure intended to support them.

Amplify successful models and strategies for preventing housing loss, navigating across housing and care settings, and supporting older adults in accessing care options in the community or least restrictive settings possible.

Collectively strategize around ways to disseminate and build upon successful models, such as medical-legal partnerships, at the state and local levels

A Hui Hou Chancellor and Dean David Faigman
2026-09-25 21:00 - 23:30 | Oahu Country Club, 150 Country Club Rd, Honolulu, HI, 96817, United States
The Hawaii Alumni Chapter invites you to join us in Honolulu for a special evening honoring Chancellor and Dean David Faigman. Enjoy great food and drinks while reconnecting with fellow alumni. All Hawaii alumni and guests are welcome!
A Hui Hou Chancellor and Dean David Faigman
Friday, September 25
6:00 – 8:30 PM (HST)
Oahu Country Club | 150 Country Club Rd, Honolulu, HI
A heartfelt mahalo to our Hawaii Alumni Chapter leader, Dan Vermillion ’09, and planning committee Crystal Rose ’82, Cheryl Hetherington ’79, and George Hetherington ’78 for bringing this event to life.
Please register by September 8th at uclawsf.edu/hawaii2026

Annual Supreme Court Review & Preview
2026-09-30 12:30 - 14:00 | 198 Auditorium

Fourth Annual Emerita Chancellor & Dean Mary Kay Kane Excellence Awards
2026-11-12 12:30 - 13:30 | 200 ARC, Alumni Reception Center, 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States

Reflective Mediation Practice Group
2026-12-09 17:30 - 19:30 | 198 McAllister St., 198 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
Bring your mediation practice to the next level by participating in a reflective practice group!

Announcing Summer and Fall practice group dates – space is available for additional participants in the practice group from July through December 2026

Reflective practice groups are among the most effective ongoing learning experiences available to mediators. Under the guidance of an experienced mediator and facilitator, a small group of mediators meets regularly to take turns reflecting on their individual mediation cases. The group supports the mediator presenting a case to discover what mediator interventions worked best and what mediator behaviors created challenges. This collaborative exploration enhances awareness of the dynamics at play and increases the potential of learning from each mediation experience. Participants will be expected to anonymize all case identifying information so as to ensure strict confidentiality.

Beginning in January 2026, the Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR) at UC Law San Francisco has offered a monthly practice group led by experienced mediator and mediation trainer Howard Herman. Currently a mediator at JAMS, Howard pioneered the use of practice groups for mediators at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco where he led the court’s ADR Program for 23 years, and where many mediators participated continuously in groups he led for over 15 years. Howard also has led practice groups for mediators in India, Brazil, Ecuador, and Poland. Howard’s fuller biography can be found at jamsadr.com/herman.

Group Structure and Approach

The group meets in person. It is limited to 12 participants and is open to all practicing mediators. Generally, each session will be focused on mediator presentations of cases in which they have been involved. Rather than starting with a topic, discussion flows from what actually happened and the choices the mediator made throughout the process.

Key to a successful group is the creation of a safe and confidential environment of mutual support and respect, making stable membership and small group size important. Participants commit to in-person attendance at all six two-hour sessions, and to present at least one case for discussion during the six-month period.

MCLE: 12 hours general credit for the series, including 1 hour of elimination of bias credit (excludes implicit bias/bias reducing strategies), 1 hour of competence credit (excludes prevention and detection), and 1 hour of ethics credit

Cost: $595 for the full series

If you are interested in joining the group, please complete this application.

Applications will be taken on a rolling basis until the group is full.
