The Dispute Resolution Institute (DRI) offers a comprehensive curriculum in the field of dispute resolution, open to all NCCU Law students. Students who complete at least ten DRI course credits are eligible to receive a Certificate in Dispute Resolution or an Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution.
The mission of the Dispute Resolution Institute is to advance the theory and practice of dispute resolution in the pursuit of justice and reconciliation between individuals and groups in conflict. The Institute is especially mindful of NCCU School of Law’s unique history and record of achievement and is committed to ensuring that evolving methods for resolving conflict do not undermine justice for economically disadvantaged, minority, and marginalized individuals and communities. The Institute works to critically examine how these methods affect the interests of these groups. The Institute is also committed to its goal of increasing the participation of minorities in the field.
In 1999, the emerging influence of mediation in the court system served as the impetus for NCCU School of Law to initiate the development of the first clinical program for training law students in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in North Carolina. Launched in the spring semester of 2000, the ADR Clinic provides future lawyers with hands-on experience in the art of mediation, often resulting in a faster, less expensive, and more satisfactory resolution to a legal issue for a client and the court system.
The ADR Clinic, a one-semester program, provides students with the 40-hour training required of superior court mediators and places them in district criminal court in Wake County to apply the collaborative, peacemaking, and listening skills they have learned. The ADR Clinic first matches students with experienced mediators from Carolina Dispute Settlement Services, a local community mediation center, to observe and co-mediate. Soon afterwards, students become the lead mediators. On average, each student handles at least six cases, which may include assault, communicating threats, larceny, trespassing, and domestic violence. Other legal cases that students may mediate include divorce cases, personal injury claims, and intellectual property. Students also learn other alternatives to litigation when they observe District Court Arbitration and attend Drug Treatment Court.
As cases continue to flood local courts, both clients and attorneys are driven to seek alternative methods for settling disputes. This continuing trend will likely impact the role of attorneys. As a result, the ADR Clinic exposes students to the expanding role of attorneys in defining problems in human rather than just legal terms, helping students to explore other forums within the court system for resolving conflicts. By the time students complete the ADR clinic, many often find that they are also pleased they have helped alleviate the stress that the rising backlog of cases is imposing on the local legal system.
Director: Mark W. Morris
Program Coordinator: Arminta Foushee
Telephone: 919-530-6505
Fax: 919-530-6339
Email: dri@nccu.edu
