UC Hastings College of the Law was founded in 1878 as the first law department of the University of California, and today is one of the top-rated law schools in the United States. Our alumni span the globe and are among the most respected lawyers, judges and business leaders today. Our faculty are nationally renowned as both teachers and scholars.

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Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Mediation

Awarded by the San Mateo County Bar Association.

James Dennis Award for Justice in the Community

Awarded by the American Bar Association for organizing the first-ever national Court ADR conference.

ABA Award

Kleps Award for Innovation

Conferred by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ron George.

Special Recognition

Awarded by the Californian Dispute Resolution Council.

Founders Award

American Bar Association  Section of Dispute Resolution

California Dispute Resolution Council

Federal Judicial Center

Resolution Systems Institute

Mediators in the Field: Experiences Around the Globe

Dispute System Design: A Comparative Study of India, Israel, and California

Court Program Funding: Advice From the Trenches

Facilitation for Attorneys

Dispute Systems Design

Sheila Purcell is the Director and Clinical Professor of the Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution. For 16 years she designed and directed a public/private dispute resolution partnership of the San Mateo Superior Court, bar and community with civil, small claims, family, probate, complex litigation and juvenile court ADR programs and staff. She also oversaw the courts’ Jury Division and Self Help Center. In the early 1990’s she worked throughout California as the State Bar’s ADR Program Developer, received a Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs and mediated for the S.F. Mayor’s Office. She received an ABA award for organizing the first-ever national Court ADR conference. Publications include A Bench Guide to ADR along with numerous articles. She has consulted and presented nationally and in Bosnia, China, Hong Kong, Italy, India, the Netherlands, Singapore and Slovenia. She received a California Dispute Resolution Council Founder’s Award and special recognition from California’s Supreme Court Chief Justice. Her court’s ADR program was a recipient of the “Kleps” Award for Innovation. She helped launch and is one of the lead faculty for CNDR’s groundbreaking Court ADR Systems Design Institute for international judges and lawyers. She oversees the Center where each year approximately 500 students engage in a dispute resolution course and master skills through the Mediation Clinic, the Externship Program and the award winning Mediation and Negotiation Team. In 2012 US News and World Report CNDR ranked Hastings in the top ten of ADR programs nationally.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy

Dispute System Design

International Court Alternative Dispute Resolution

Publications on SSRN

Meet the Masters: CNDR Panel of Bay Area Experts

Bringing Court Mediation to Countries around the World

Professor Purcell Shares Mediation Expertise at Indian Conference

Professor Sheila Purcell Promotes Alternative Dispute Resolution at Home and Abroad

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