Master class 'Negotiation Theory and Practice'

November 15-16, 2016
0.5 ECTS
This course examines the theory and practice of negotiation as a process used to put deals together or to resolve disputes and legal claims. Students learn about competitive positional bargaining and collaborative problem solving and acquire insight into the strategic management of the tension between the two approaches. Through simulated exercises, students develop skills and confidence as negotiators, including an awareness of the psychological encouragements and barriers to consensus. Special challenges of multiparty negotiations are addressed with an emphasis on the attorney-client relationship, including applicable ethical standards, codes, and law.

Charles Wiggins is professor of law (retired) at the University of San Diego. He is also guest professor at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He received his JD from the University of California, Hastings, and his LLM from Yale. He is past chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the Association of American Law Schools. Wiggins also maintains a private consulting practice, providing negotiation and conflict management training, and facilitation and mediation services, to businesses, governments, and nonprofit institutions throughout the world. Wiggins is a three-time Fulbright Scholar, and the coauthor of Negotiation and Settlement Advocacy (2nd ed.).

Selected Issues in Dispute Resolution: Facilitating Dynamic Groups

More and more managers and conflict resolution professionals are being asked to serve as "facilitator" of larger groups which are discussing difficult issues—often with difficult people. The success and reward of this work, for the entire group, depends on the skills of the facilitator. Often, we take on this challenge without thinking through the complexities and nuances that could move our groups from a dysfunctional group to a dynamic group capable of making effective decisions in a timely manner. This course targets those professionals who work with large groups charged with discussing and making decisions about difficult issues. Students will be introduced to and then will explore the creativity necessary to create and facilitate dynamic groups. By the end of the class, students will have a fluent understanding of the roles of a facilitator, the process of facilitation and skills to design a facilitated process.