Mediation Clinic

About the Clinic

Rutgers Law School Mediation Clinic is the first of its kind in New Jersey. The students in this Clinic are trained in mediation techniques and related communication, problem-solving, and negotiation skills. They have the novel opportunity to sit in the mediator’s chair and to serve as third party neutrals who guide the mediation process and facilitate negotiated resolutions of parties’ legal conflicts.

The Mediation Clinic is a unique setting where students learn how to apply dispute resolution tools and techniques to real-life disputes in a broad variety of disciplines from contract and automobile/Lemon Law matters to employment and child custody/parent visitation cases. Students also have the benefit of working directly with pro se litigants as well as with attorneys and their clients. 

Students mediate a wide range of actual court cases in the Special Civil, Small Claims, Landlord/Tenant, and Non-Dissolution Family Part in multiple jurisdictions throughout North Jersey. They also assist parties in federal employment discrimination cases from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Small Claims cases from the New York City Civil Court. 

The mediation skills students learn in this Clinic help them to not only be confident with handling a large variety of legal conflicts but to become better communicators, problem solvers, and negotiators in all aspects of their lives. In particular, the interpersonal skills and dispute resolution tools students develop in this course are invaluable to becoming more effective attorneys in the traditional role of client representation as well as in their work with colleagues, opposing counsel, and court personnel.

* Please note that all students are expected to participate in a full day conflict resolution “bootcamp” at the beginning of the semester. This training is a necessary qualification to participate in the Mediation Clinic course.

Faculty

Professor Felicia Farber, Clinic Director

Felicia T. Farber, Esq., is an attorney with 28+ years litigation and negotiation experience and a degree in electrical/computer engineering. She believes that the best way to resolve conflicts is outside of the courtroom, through Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as arbitration and mediation. She negotiates and facilitates settlements of complex disputes in multiple disciplines including: Commercial, Employment, Construction, Consumer, Divorce, Homeowners/Condo/Co-op Associations, Insurance, Technology, Products Liability, Will Contests, Foreclosure, Torts & Medical Malpractice. She is also an experienced workplace investigator.