ADR Certificate Program
A law student can count the ADR courses (including Dispute Resolution Process, Interviewing/Negotiaion & Counseling, Mediation Clinic and Arbitration) toward an ADR certificate to be awarded when the student receives his or her Juris Doctor degree. The purpose of the certificate is to improve a student’s employment opportunities upon graduation by demonstrating skills training. The Certificate in Dispute Resolution is not a supplemental degree, but an opportunity for students to highlight their knowledge of conflict management principles and dispute resolution processes. There are only a handful of such law school programs in the United States, and this is the first such program in a law school in the southeastern United States.
The ADR certificate requires completion of the following electives:
Dispute Resolution Processes
Interviewing, Counseling & Negotiation
Arbitration
Mediation Clinic
A skills elective such as Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, Externship, etc.
A practicing lawyer in Alabama must complete 12 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) each year to maintain a law license. The Law School offers a variety of CLE seminar courses. The Alabama State Bar’s Continuing Legal Education Office has designated the Law School as a pre-approved sponsor of CLE events. The Law School annually affirms its CLE programs to meet the rigorous standards set forth by the State Bar’s CLE office.
The Law School annually hosts a one-day CLE conference on Dispute Resolution. In addition to the conference, other selected CLE seminar courses are offered during the year. The Law School also offers contract CLE trainings for private and public agencies.