Levin College of Law
Welcome to UF LAW

Institute for Dispute Resolution

Shaping tomorrow’s problem solvers and conflict resolvers.

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Lawyers as problem solvers and advocates

At UF Law, we have a broad and deep commitment to dispute resolution and advocacy. Through our rigorous, multidisciplinary curriculum, we expand on the traditional skills to include the most innovative and creative processes. Our students approach their clients’ problems efficiently, skillfully, and appropriately.

Dispute Resolution And Advocacy

Our faculty is collaborative and innovative. Through our teaching, research, service, and scholarship we strive to remain consistently and uncompromisingly at the forefront.

Arbitration, Mediation and Negotiation

UF Law recognizes the increasing importance of dispute resolution skills. While we teach our students many stand-alone courses in topics such as negotiation, mediation, representation in mediation and arbitration, our faculty also integrates these essential skills throughout our foundational and advanced doctrinal courses.

Visionary, Collaborative, Innovative Faculty 
Events 
Student Experience 
History of the Institute for Dispute Resolution (IDR) 
Hands-on Problem-Solving 
Selected Scholarship 

Faculty

Joan Stearns Johnsen

Director

Donna Erez-Navot

Associate Director

Jonathan Cohen

William Hamilton

M. Smith

Assistant Dean for Experiential Learning and Engagement

Sarah Wolking

Director, Externship Supervision

Emeritus Faculty

Len Riskin

Robin Davis

Don Peters

Bob Moberly

INSTITUTE FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION EVENTS

Litigator Mediator Forum
The University of Florida Levin College of Law welcomes you to join us on our Gainesville campus for a live Continuing Legal Education event, Litigator Mediator Forum. Please join Donna Erez-Navot, Legal Skills Professor and Director, Mediation Clinic, University of Florida Levin College of Law; and Harold Oehler, Esq., Oehler Mediation; for this two hour event with state and federal judges, litigators, and mediators. This free CLE event has been approved for 2.0 Ethics and 2.0 General credits by The Florida Bar; lunch will be served. You may register here. Please contact ruthm@law.ufl.edu for more information.

Time: 11:00am to 1:00pm

Location: University of Florida Levin College of Law; more details will be forthcoming

Invitation

Past Events

Institute for Dispute Resolution Spring Lecture
Leonard Riskin, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law delivers the Institute for Dispute Resolution Spring Lecture, via Zoom webinar.

Invitation

Student Experience

Photo of Morgan Zwirn

“Professor Johnsen’s arbitration class sits comfortably as a hybrid between a skills-based and traditional Socratic method class. Throughout the semester, I learned the ‘why’ behind arbitration, and how lawyers resolving all types of specialized conflicts can benefit from dispute resolution through arbitration. Learning about the purposes of alternative dispute resolution has crucially broadened my understanding of the practice of law as a whole. Understanding the role played by arbitration in the litigation process provides the necessary context for negotiations with opposing counsel and for client consultations.”

~Morgan Zwirn (JD 22)

Photo of Andrea V. Hernandez

“One of the biggest takeaways from Negotiation was the importance of having a learning mindset. I learned to ask ‘why’ and then listen intently to the response because a negotiation is largely about understanding the person with whom you are speaking. Negotiation is a unique course in the UF Law curriculum because the concepts apply across one’s daily life. Professor Stearns Johnsen calls the act of applying negotiation skills ‘magic’. I agree.”

~Andrea V. Hernandez (JD 25)

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“Being involved with Alternative Dispute Resolution in law school was one of my best decisions. Through ADR, I had the opportunity to take part in a diversity summit through the American Arbitration Association. This summit allowed me to hear from full-time professionals about everything it takes to be a successful neutral. Opportunities such as these would not have been possible without the support of UF Law and ADR.”

~Brandon Smith (JD 24)

Photo of Sabrina-Saint-Marc

“During my time as a UF Law student, we were encouraged to explore unique topics within ADR. The invaluable guidance of Professor Erez-Navot helped me place in the top 8 of the 2023 American Journal of Mediation National Dispute Resolution Writing Competition. Additionally, my article has been accepted for publication in the February 2025 issue of the University of Missouri School of Law’s Journal of Dispute Resolution. These outcomes show the exceptional guidance and opportunities provided through the ADR Seminar.”

~Sabrina Saint-Marc (JD 24)

History of the Institute for Dispute Resolution

The Institute for Dispute Resolution was founded in 1996, under the leadership of Professor Robert B. Moberly. Its purpose was threefold: (1) to serve as an interdisciplinary university-based research program, focused on dispute resolution theory and practice; (2) to incorporate dispute resolution into the broader law school curriculum; and (3) to foster service activities in dispute resolution.

Professor Don Peters succeeded Professor Moberly as Director of the Institute. He continued the Institute’s tradition of hosting and co-developing with the Upchurch, Watson, White & Max Mediation Group’s annual day-long continuing mediation workshops. As new types of ADR developed, the institute incorporated these ideas into ongoing projects, such as a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a mediation service for farmers. Professor Allison Gerencser, a member of the Institute, provided this service. Also, the Institute provided ADR training in Haiti, funded by a U.S. Information Agency grant under the next Director of the Institute, Professor Don Peters.

Director Professor Robin Davis continued to establish the Institute and presented at annual conferences and trainings and brought leaders in the field to the law school. In recent years leaders in the field of Dispute Resolution have presented on various aspects of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. Including Professors John Lande, Alyson Carrel, Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Amy Schmitz, and Noam Ebner, and alumni Harold Oehler, John J. Upchurch, Lawrence M. Watson, and Richard Lord.

Under the leadership of the Institute’s current Director, Professor Joan Stearns Johnsen a number of dispute resolution academics have presented to the UF Community including Professor David Hoffman, Harvard and the Boston Law Collaborative, Professor Homer LaRue, Howard University School of Law, Professor Emeritus Len Riskin, currently at Northwestern University School of Law, Associate Dean Jill Gross, Pace University School of Law, Executive Vice Dean Christine Lazaro, St. John’s University School of Law, Professor Imre Szalai, Loyola of New Orleans School of Law.

The Institute is known for its practical approach to teaching dispute resolution skills. Students at UF learn more than theory. They are taught how they as professionals will be arbitrating and mediating in practice. Among the alumni practicing in the field of dispute resolution who have generously presented programs or participated in classes for UF Law students are Edward Mullins, Reed Smith, Oscar Sanchez, Oscar Sanchez Mediation, and Leslie O’Neal, JAMS, Patricia Cowart, Assistant General Counsel, Wells Fargo, and Professor Melanie Cherdack, Miami University School of Law. Among the national and international leaders in the field who have spoken to our UF dispute resolution students are Mireze Philippe, former Special Counsel of the International Chamber of Commerce, Jerry Roscoe, JAMS, Serena Lee, Chairman and CEO, International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), Richard Hall, Global Co-Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, Cravath, Joseph M. Sellers, Founder and Co-chair Civil Rights and Employment Practice, Cohen Millstein, Richard Berry, Executive Vice President and Director, FINRA Dispute Resolution. Noah Hanft, former General Counsel, MasterCard, Allen Waxman, former General Counsel, Pfizer, Angela Valedon Romero, Vice President, American Arbitration Association, Jeffrey Kichaven, Kichaven ADR.

In 2020, University of Florida along with CPR and the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution hosted a virtual town hall on the topic of Prevention. Professor Johnsen organized a daylong event that brought over 200 registrants, this was an early exploration of techniques for reducing litigation for more business purpose among corporations. This was one of the earliest events in this growing area. Among the speakers at this event were Scott Partridge, former General Counsel of Bayer U.S. and Pilar Ramos, former General Counsel, Mastercard North America. In 2023, Professor Johnsen’s work in the area of Prevention was recognized by CPR with its Leadership in Dispute Prevention Award.

Under the leadership of the Institute’s current Director, Professor Joan Stearns Johnsen and Associate Director, Professor Donna Erez-Navot and with the support of alumni and students, the Institute continues to serve our students, alumni, and the community with original and state of the art content and training.

Hands-on Problem-Solving

At UF Law we take students beyond the theoretical to the practical implementation of the most forward-thinking approach to dispute resolution. Ours is a practical approach. This approach to teaching is reinforced through the speakers we bring and also through opportunities that expose students to the dispute resolution they will find when they begin their practice. An approach that is valued by employers. The below list is just a sampling of the many opportunities available to UF Law students.

University of Florida Levin College of Law
309 Village Drive
PO Box 117620
Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 273-0804
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The Florida Constitutional Law Endowment in memory of Justice Ben F. Overton was created by Judge Karen Miller in 2013. This fund supports lectures and presentations by Justices of the Florida Supreme Court at the Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

HISTORY

Justice Overton, who earned his B.S. in 1951 and his Juris Doctor in 1952 from the University of Florida, was the first merit appointment to the Florida Supreme Court. Throughout his career he was active in legal education and served as an Adjunct Professor at the Levin College of Law through December 2012, the month of his death. Although he resided at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, a continuing care retirement community developed in cooperation with UF, he also considered the Florida Supreme Court “home.” Among the high points of his later years was hosting Justices of the Florida Supreme Court in Gainesville and taking his class to Tallahassee to hear oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court.
Judge Miller, who earned her B.S. cum laude from New York University in 1974 and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 1977, served as Chief Administrative Law Judge of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, New York City’s business regulatory agency, before she retired to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. Having accompanied Justice Overton on his excursions to Tallahassee and joined him in welcoming guests to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, she created the endowment in memory of Justice Overton to ensure that the Levin College of Law continues to have the funding necessary to continue and enhance the interaction between its students and the Florida Supreme Court.

 

Judge Miller remembered the event that motivated the endowment.

 

Prior to a dinner at the home of Dean Robert Jerry and Lisa Jerry shortly after Justice Overton’s death, Justice Barbara Pariente and I were discussing a suitable memorial. Justice Pariente, who had been Justice Overton’s colleague on the Florida Supreme Court and who understood the importance to him of the interaction between his students and the Court, suggested the outline of what has become the Overton lectures. Dean Jerry, who has since retired, as has Dean Emeritus Jon Mills, who assumed responsibility for implementing the Overton lectures, were very supportive from the beginning. Since Dean Mills’ retirement, Professor Timothy McClendon, who assisted both Justice Overton and Dean Mills teaching Florida Constitutional Law and who co-authored the recent Florida Constitutional Law casebook, has continued the Overton lectures with the support of Interim Dean Merritt McAlister and CGR director, Professor Danaya Wright.

Justice Overton was a devoted jurist, educator, and ethical leader of the Florida legal profession. The Overton Lecture Series brings Florida Supreme Court Justices to the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, and serves to introduce students to the inner workings of the Court. CGR and the students of the College of Law extend our deepest gratitude to Judge Karen Miller for making the Overton Lectures possible in perpetuity.

You can watch an interview for the Florida Historical Society by Mary Adkins, professor emeritus of the UF Levin College of Law, with Justice Overton here.

Justice Overton was also interviewed for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Project and a transcript of his interview is available at the Smathers Library, and here.
Justice Overton sat on the Constitution Revision Commission of 1977-78 that proposed a right to privacy in the Florida Constitution. Although it failed as part of the Constitution Revision Commission recommendations, it passed in 1980 when proposed by the legislature. The bill was co-sponsored by our very own Jon Mills. The privacy provision prevailed by greater than 60%. Justice Overton then wrote a concurrence in a critical reproductive rights case in 1989 affirming that the privacy provision of the Florida Constitution included the right to obtain an abortion. That decision was overruled in Planned Parenthood of SW and Central Florida v. Florida. You can read about the role of Justice Overton, Jon Mills – director emeritus of CGR, and the history of the 1989 case here.