Most lawyers, irrespective of their specialty, must negotiate. Litigators resolve far more disputes through negotiation than by trials. Business lawyers — whether putting together a start-up company, arranging venture financing, or preparing an initial public offering — are called upon to negotiate on behalf of their clients. Public interest lawyers, in-house counsel, government attorneys, criminal lawyers, tort lawyers, and commercial litigators all share the need to be effective negotiators.
That is the premise, and part of the course description, for Negotiation Workshop, a course offered this Winter and Spring terms by Professor Robert Mnookin. The course, which is also taught during the spring by Clinical Professor Robert Bordone, combines theory and practice with the aim of improving both the participants’ understanding of negotiation and their effectiveness as negotiators. In a videotaped interview, Mnookin discusses the class.