Advance your career. Enhance your life.

Certificate ProgramAt Capital University Law School

Mediation and Dispute Resolution

opportunityDiscourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise

whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is

often a real loser—in fees, expenses, and waste of time.

AbRAhAM LinCoLn

Message From Academic Directors

Being able to settle differences could make a world of difference in your career.

In every sphere of human activity, disputes are inevitable, and the ability to resolve them is highly

valued. It follows, then, that whatever your field of endeavor, proficiency in managing conflicts could

present countless opportunities for your personal and professional growth.

There is a tendency to think of dispute resolution as the exclusive domain of lawyers and union

negotiators. Yet having the know-how and skill to appropriately manage conflict situations is valuable

for business leaders and managers, healthcare specialists, human resources supervisors, customer

service personnel, educators, and government agency administrators—virtually anyone interested in

using well-tested techniques to resolve, reduce or prevent conflicts.

Capital University Law School has been active in the dispute resolution movement, both nationally and

internationally, for more than 35 years. Capital is respected for its innovative training in the field and

has been working to expand the awareness and use of dispute resolution in the insurance industry,

courts, legal profession, state and local governments, educational settings, business environments,

health professions, and the community at large.

Today our law school, with its Dispute Resolution Program, is a leading institution for everything related

to this rapidly growing discipline: academic studies, training, consultation, research, and program and

materials development. We work with individuals and organizations across the spectrum of business

and industry as well as professional groups, public entities, and government agencies.

Once you decide that knowing how to resolve conflicts can be an extremely valuable asset, your

decision as to where to obtain the best training is an easy one. You can enroll in our Mediation and

Dispute Resolution Certificate Program—a superbly integrated combination of academic study and

skills training. You can advance your career, maximize your organization’s success, and enhance your

personal life by making dispute resolution one of your strengths. And there is no better place or more

opportune time to do that than right here . . . right now.

Scott Dewhirst Terrence Wheeler

1

Real people. Real skills. Real solutions.

Students enrolled in our Mediation and Dispute Resolution Certificate Program are diverse in age, sex,

race, ethnicity, academic and personal backgrounds, occupations, goals and motivations. What they have in

common is their appreciation for the importance of acquiring effective dispute resolution skills as part of their

career development.

You will find yourself in an interactive learning environment with students representing the fields of business,

government, law, healthcare, human resources, psychology, religion, and more.

The learning environment encourages students to discuss and apply dispute resolution theory and processes

to real life conflicts. Students emerge from the certificate program confident in their ability to use real skills to

face real conflicts to help themselves and others achieve real solutions.

2

problem solving

Advance Your Career. Enhance Your Life.

Enhance job skillsLike many participants, you may want to strengthen or broaden the conflict management and

negotiation capabilities you bring to your present job, particularly if you are a supervisor or interact

with others regularly. Our students come from a variety of unique professional backgrounds, including

healthcare, faith communities, legal services, public service, and academics. There is a growing

awareness among company owners and senior managers of the costliness of drawnout disputes.

Valuable staff time and money can be saved through expeditious resolution of internal controversies,

as well as disagreements with vendors and others outside the company.

obtain full-time workSome people in our program—lawyers and non-lawyers—are focused on finding a full-time job in either

the public or private sector. Opportunities for permanent positions in dispute resolution are steadily

increasing in the public arena, both in state and federal government agencies and in the courts.

Add a professional service Our program attracts a substantial number of individuals in “helping professions,” such as mental

health professionals, counselors, psychologists, social workers, clergy, etc. Many simply want to

enhance their negotiation skills or add mediation and arbitration or some other conflict management

skill to their portfolio of services.

become a third-party neutral, trainer or consultantRecognizing the growing importance of dispute resolution training, a number of our students intend to

work full-time in this field as trainers or consultants with public or private sector clients. We encourage

participants to make themselves more marketable by building on their previous experience and

combining dispute resolution talents with the expertise they’ve already acquired.

Learn a new “life” skillUnresolved conflict can create one of life’s most stressful situations. Individuals can look forward to a

more peaceful and rewarding life when they become skilled at resolving conflict, both for themselves

and for others. Conflict resolution and mediation techniques can help us all on the job, in society, and

in our own personal lives.

3

www.law.capital.edu/skills

Program Flexibility: Customization and nationwide Access

The student-friendly and flexible structure of our certificate program offers you numerous

curriculum options and allows you to participate from any location. Admission to the program is

open to all—lawyers and non-lawyers. A college degree is not a requirement for admission to the

program.

Students outside of Central Ohio may complete the certificate program with a combination of

on-campus and off-campus courses. Some curriculum components that require class attendance

can be completed in an intensive one-week format. In addition, participants living outside the area

may be given credit for specialized, pre-approved courses provided by organizations close to their

homes that are not offered by Capital.

The program is designed to be completed in 18 semester hours spanning one to three years,

depending on your availabilty. It may be completed in its entirety or you may choose components

that best suit your needs. For example, you may wish to take only the academic courses in order

to gain a comprehensive understanding of dispute resolution. You will be able to select from

various academic courses including:

• Dispute Resolution • Negotiation

• Arbitration • Business Negotiations

• Labor Arbitration • Health Care & Dispute Resolution

Alternatively, you could focus on the skills training sessions to expand and optimize your conflict

handling capabilities. You may also tailor your course selections so as to build strengths applicable

to a particular field or subject area. Current skill-building training classes include:

• Basic Mediation • Succeeding in the Business of Mediation

• Mediation Ethics • Handling Workplace Conflicts

• Mediation Theory • Becoming a More Effective Mediator

Our program has a “grandfather provision” which permits some participants to satisfy curriculum

requirements with credit earned for previously completed courses or training.

4

www.law.capital.edu/flexibility

customization

5

i began my legal career as a student mediator at Capital University

Law School. now almost 30 years later, i still use these problem-

solving skills in my courtroom on a daily basis.

JUDGE AnnE TAYLoRFranklin County Municipal Court - General Division

b.S., ohio State University, 1973 J.D., Capital University Law School, 1979

6

preparationRobERTA S. MiTChELLb.A., West Virginia University, 1965J.D., Capital University Law School, 1972

AboUT RobERTA...Professor Mitchell has been a member of the Capital University faculty since 1972. She is co-director of the Capital University Law School Center for Dispute Resolution and Director of the Litigation Clinics. She teaches Remedies, interviewing and Counseling, negotiation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Tell me and i forget; show me and i remember; involve me and

i understand. ChinESE PRoVERb

Practical Experience Leads to a Prepared Practitioner

We recognize the importance of gaining hands-on experience as a part of your education. In order to

accomplish this objective, all certificate students participate in both a clinic and an externship.

Mediation and Dispute Resolution ClinicAs part of the core certificate curriculum, you will participate in a Mediation or Dispute Resolution

Clinic, where you will help individuals involved in disputes attempt to achieve a voluntary resolution

of their conflict. The clinic experience gives you ample opportunities to hone your skills for

listening and issue spotting, as well as develop other creative problem-solving techniques.

Matters handled by clinic participants may include such disputes as:

• Landlord-tenant • Consumer transactions • Breach of contract

• Work place conflicts • Interpersonal conflicts • Family conflicts

• Criminal misdemeanors • Neighbor disputes

Externship ProgramThe Externship Program places students in public or private sector offices or in dispute resolution

organizations dealing with mediation, arbitration, and facilitation. The Externship Program supplements

and complements knowledge and experience students gain in the clinic and in other courses.

Students are immersed in the frontline of dispute resolution. As an extern, you will have the

opportunity—under close supervision of experienced practitioners—to confront actual mediation and

dispute resolution issues and to analyze and explore the various roles that problem-solvers play in the

expanding arena of dispute resolution.

Skills developed in the Externship Program include:

• Interviewing • Analysis • Mediation

• Negotiation • Third-party intervention • Problem solving

• Planning • Facilitation

Externship Locations:

• Courts • Dispute Resolution Organizations • Private Businesses

• Corporations • Non-Profits • Government Agencies

7

www.law.capital.edu/experience

TERREnCE WhEELERb.A., The ohio State University, 1982J.D., Moritz College of Law, The ohio State University, 1985

AboUT TERRY...Professor Wheeler serves as the Co-Director of the Center for Dispute Resolution and the Mediation and Dispute Resolution Certificate Program at Capital University Law School, where he also serves as an adjunct professor of law. he has extensive dispute resolution experience as a mediator, facilitator, trainer, and program design consultant in many settings, including business, schools, courts, and government agencies. Professor Wheeler also served as the former President of the Association for Conflict Resolution.

8

As a part of my law practice, i regularly provide mediation and

dispute resolution services. i take these experiences and turn

them into learning opportunities for my students. it is great to

show my students, through my own personal experiences, how

this alternative way of settling disputes helped to solve what

initially appeared to be an irreconcilable problem.SCoT DEWhiRST

Talented Faculty and Practitioners

Our faculty is comprised of individuals with exceptionally strong academic and professional credentials.

They are respected practitioners, experienced litigators, and third-party neutrals. Students appreciate

our faculty’s rich array of diversified, true-life experiences which provide unique teaching perspectives

and enriched classroom environments.

Richness of experienceAll faculty are congenial and accessible with diverse and substantial experiences and networks.

Beyond their teaching, they are engaged in private practice, serve as full-time and adjunct Capital law

professors, mediate in the United States District Court, and serve as an external administrative judge

for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

From their roles as professors, mentors, teachers, and friends—the faculty provide you with the

innovative instruction you will need to succeed and the guidance to make your journey a rewarding

one. You will be learning from some of the best in field.

9

experience

SCoT DEWhiRSTb.A., The ohio State University, 1974

J.D., Capital University Law School, 1978

AboUT SCoT...Professor Dewhirst serves as a Co-Director of the Center for Dispute Resolution and the Mediation and Dispute Resolution Certificate Program at Capital University Law School where he is also an adjunct professor of law. Professor Dewhirst has developed mediation projects in both Jamaica and nicaragua and conducts training programs throughout north America. he regularly serves as a private mediator, arbitrator and hearing officer in a wide variety of disputes. Professor Dewhirst is the co-founder and partner in the law firm of Artz & Dewhirst, L.L.P..

www.law.capital.edu/mdrfaculty

10

communityThe mediation and dispute resolution community in Central ohio

is thriving—from the courtrooms to the board rooms. Solving

problems in an effective manner is evolving, growing, and

becoming the expected way to manage disputes.TERREnCE WhEELER

11

Capitalize on the Capital Community

The Certificate in Mediation and Dispute Resolution Program is housed at Capital University Law

School, located in the Discovery District of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Columbus is regarded as one

of the leading cities in the field of dispute resolution and is the center of state wide efforts being led

by the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and the Office of Dispute Resolution at The Supreme

Court of Ohio. Capital University Law School’s involvement in dispute resolution first began in 1971

and continues today on many fronts. From its development of international programs in Jamaica and

Nicaragua, to its active training schedule through the Center for Dispute Resolution and the National

Conference for Minority Professionals in Alternative Dispute Resolution, the law school is actively

involved in offering dispute resolution courses and public trainings, both to future attorneys and to the

general population.

Columbus is the 15th largest city in the U.S. and home to 15 Fortune 1000 companies, six Fortune

500 companies, four nationally recognized healthcare systems, and over 20 colleges and universities.

The area also offers spectacular cultural events and first-class entertainment and leisure activities.

The Columbus region is home to 20 theatre groups, 102 art galleries, and 18 museums. Sports fans

will find NHL Hockey, Major League Soccer, a PGA tour event, a minor league baseball team, and

numerous college sporting events like OSU football. Columbus offers amazing restaurants, terrific

shopping experiences, and an energizing nightlife. There is an abundance of things to do and places to

see in the world-class city our program calls home.

Columbus region at-a-glance:• 1.64 million people in Columbus and surrounding region

• 800,000 people in the City of Columbus

• Third fastest growing major metropolitan area in the Midwest

• Home to over 5,000 attorneys

• Consistent growth for the past 50 years

Dispute resolution initiatives are rapidly growing in Ohio’s courts, government agencies, businesses,

educational institutions, and communities. Nationwide Insurance, headquartered in Columbus, has

long been a strong supporter of Capital’s dispute resolution efforts. Nationwide remains one of many

Central Ohio businesses committed to the timely and effective resolution of disputes. For all these

reasons, Columbus is a vibrant and progressive center of dispute resolution in this country.

www.law.capital.edu/columbus

12

Capital’s Leadership in Dispute Resolution

Capital University Law School has played a significant role in nurturing the growth and shaping the course of dispute

resolution in the United States. Here’s a chronology of the Law School’s ever-expanding involvement in the field.

1971Capital collaborates with the Columbus City Attorney’s office to create the Night Prosecutor Mediation Program, the first of its kind and a model for similar programs across the country.

1974The Night Prosecutor Mediation Program is designated an Exemplary Project by The National Institute of Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice.

1979Capital graduate Larry Ray is appointed first director of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Standing Committee on Dispute Resolution.

1984 Capital establishes the Center for Dispute Resolution (CDR).

1985

The Capital/Jamaica Project in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), funded by The Ford Foundation and USAID, begins. More than 1,000 Jamaican police officers, educators, human service personnel and legal professionals are trained to create a cost-efficient dispute resolution system in the country.

1987 Capital begins offering courses in mediation.

1990

The Capital/Nicaragua Project: Wars and government actions had left Nicaragua’s infrastructure in ruins and there were no economic resources available to rebuild the justice system. Capital’s CDR trains professionals and laypersons as mediators to provide effective and accessible means of resolving disputes.

1991 Capital initiates its annual offerings of public training programs in mediation and negotiation.

1996The Negotiation Training Project for Nationwide Insurance, requiring the development of groundbreaking course materials and videos, is completed.

1997Nationwide Insurance awards $1,000,000 in funds to name the Peter F. Frenzer Nationwide Insurance Foundation Training Facility at Capital University Law School.

1998Capital Law graduate Kimberlee K. Kovach serves as chair of the American Bar Association’s Section on Dispute Resolution.

1999 Hosting begins for the United Nations Symposium on Dispute Resolution in Peacekeeping.

2001 Capital establishes the annual National Conference of Minority Professionals in ADR.

2002 The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Mediation Project is completed.

2004 CDR Co-Director Terry Wheeler becomes President-Elect of the Association for Conflict Resolution.

2004 The Jamaica Dispute Resolution Foundation presents Capital its 10th Anniversary Award.

2005 The Mediation and Dispute Resolution Certificate Program is launched.

2008 Capital University Law School begins its Summer Dispute Resolution Institute.

first in “firsts”

13

before dispute resolution became widely accepted as a viable alternative to litigation, Capital University Law School was a leader in mediation, negotiation, and arbitration training. Today, we still recognize the value of dispute resolution and continue to bolster our curriculum for law students, lawyers, and professionals locally, regionally, and nationally through our Certificate in Mediation and Dispute Resolution, the Annual Minority ADR Conference, and most recently, our Summer Dispute Resolution institute.

FLoYD WEAThERSPoon

FLoYD WEAThERSPoonb.S., north Carolina A&T State University, 1974

J.D., howard University, 1977

AboUT FLoYD...in 1989, Professor Weatherspoon joined the faculty of the Law School where he teaches courses on ADR, labor arbitration, employment discrimination, employment law, civil rights, collective bargaining and managerial mediation. he serves on a number of arbitration and mediation panels, including the American Arbitration Association, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services and the United States District Court, Southern District of ohio panels. he has also served as an external Administrative Judge for the EEoC.

Office of Admission & Financial Aid303 East Broad StreetColumbus, Ohio 43215-3200P 614.236.6310, F 614.236.6972

Email: admissions@law.capital.eduwww.law.capital.edu