Conferences and Scholarly Programs

The Carey Center provides a forum for investigating dispute resolution processes through academic conferences, symposia and workshops. Here is a sampling of our recent programs:

ADR in the Spotlight: John Lande
On November 17, 2011, John Lande, the Isidor Loeb Professor at the University of Missouri School of Law, spoke to a group of faculty and students about his new book Lawyering with Planned Early Negotiation: How You Can Get Good Results for Clients and Make Money.

Worlds of Work Conference, Cambridge, England
On July 20-22, 2011, the Carey Center joined with St. John’s School of Law’s Center for Labor and Employment Law to host Worlds of Work: Employment Dispute Resolution Systems Across the Globe, a landmark international conference held at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge . The event brought together a world-class group of scholars and practitioners from the fields of labor law and ADR to exchange ideas on a range of topics, including differences among countries in the handling of workplace disputes, employment discrimination law in a transnational context, and the cultural, religious, and ethical dimensions of workplace conflict.

Among the many noted scholars and practitioners who participated in the conference were:

  • Theodore J. St. Antoine, James E. and Sarah A. Degan Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus, Michigan Law School; Past President, National Academy of Arbitrators
  • Thomas J. Stipanowich,  William H. Webster Chair in Dispute Resolution and Professor of Law, Pepperdine University School of LawGeorge Cohen, Director, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
  • Samuel Estreicher, Dwight Opperman Professor of Law Executive Director, Center for Labor and Employment Law, New York University School of Law
  • Julius G. (“Jack”) Getman Earl E. Sheffield Professor of Law, University of Texas School of Law
  • William B. Gould IV, Charles A. Beardsley Professor of Law, Emeritus, Stanford Law School; Former Chairman, National Labor Relations Board
  • Sir Bob Hepple QC FBA, Emeritus Master of Clare College; Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Cambridge; Former Chairman, Industrial Tribunals (England and Wales); Senior Vice President, United Nations Administrative Tribunal
  • George Cohen, Director, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

The conference continued St. John’s successful history of academic programs focusing on international dispute resolution, building on the 2006 conference Transnational Perspectives on ADR, held at the University of London’s Queen Mary College.

“The timely conference themes reflected St. John’s social justice mission and global focus, and the conference’s engaging agenda evinced the positive synergy of the Law School’s academic centers,” said Dean Michael A. Simons.

Reaching Acc[h]ord: Resolving Disputes Over Music Downloading
On Friday October 29, 2010, the Carey Center, together with the Law School's Dispute Resolution Society and Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Society, sponsored a robust discussion on resolving disputes over music downloading.  Participants included:

  • Charles S. Nesson | Harvard Law School professor and counsel to Joel Tenenbaum
  • Joel Tennenbaum | Boston University student initially found liable for over $600,000 in damages for unauthorized music downloading
  • Ray Beckerman | Respected entertainment attorney and blogger on the topic of music downloading
  • Jake Walden | Independent recording artist. 

Conflict management system design expert Cathy Constantino facilitated a dialogue on the persistence of unauthorized downloading and the challenge of developing a more realistic conflict resoltuion model that respects both the rights of music copyright owners and the internet's culture of open access to information.

Panel Discussion: Or Else: Blackmail, Extortion, Threats and Damage Control in Negotiations
On September 14, 2010, the Carey Center hosted a provocative discussion on blackmail, extortion, threats, and damage control in negotiation.  The panel featured experienced negotiators Scott Mollen, Adjunct Professor at St. John's and partner at Herrick, Feinstein, LLP, and Howard J. Rubenstein, founder and CEO of the prominent public relations firm Rubenstein Associates, Inc. 

ADR in the Spotlight: Len Riskin Mindfulness Colloquium | Pyett Panel Discussion
Each year, the Carey Center sponsors its ADR in the Spotlight series. On November 9, 2009, Professor Len Riskin, the Chesterfield Smith Professor of Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, presented a faculty colloquium on his recent work on mindfulness.That same day, the Center hosted a panel discussion on the recent Supreme Court decision in 14 Penn Plaza v. Pyett.  The panel featured advocates who argued the case before the United States Supreme Court and was moderated by noted labor law scholar Gary Minda, Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School.

ADR Meets Bankruptcy: Cross-Purposes or Cross-Pollination?
On October 2, 2009, in conjunction with the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review and the Bankruptcy Policy Institute, the Carey Center hosted ADR Meets Bankruptcy: Cross-Purposes or Cross-Pollination?,a conference exploring the relationship between alternative dispute resolution and bankruptcy. This ground-breaking conference brought together prominent scholars from the fields of ADR and bankruptcy to investigate the ways that mediation and arbitration intersect with bankruptcy. Drawing on the different perspectives that scholars from each field bring, the conference provided an opportunity for discussion to stimulate new approaches in both ADR and bankruptcy. A panel on Mediation in Bankruptcy featured Judge Elizabeth Stong, Ralph Peeples, Nancy Welsh and Bill Woodward.  A panel on Arbitration in Bankruptcy featured Alan Resnick, Steve Ware, Marianne Culhane and Paul Kirgis.

For more information on past and upcoming Carey Center programs, contact us.