Alternative dispute resolution has become an increasingly important part of modern legal practice. Many conflicts between businesses, employees, partners and consumers are now settled through mediation, arbitration or negotiation rather than trial.
Law schools are responding by expanding dispute resolution programs that teach the advocacy, communication and problem-solving skills needed to resolve complex conflicts. Students gain hands-on experience through competitions, clinics and practical training that prepare them to guide clients through difficult disputes.
The following law schools earned a place on our Alternative Dispute Resolution Law Honor Roll, recognized for the strength of their programs. Following the list, you’ll find the latest developments and news from alternative dispute resolution law programs at these various law schools.
Top law schools for alternative dispute resolution law
South Texas College of Law Houston continues to see strong results from its dispute resolution program. In spring 2025, the school won the regional ABA Representation in Mediation Competition and advanced to the national semifinals. Students also took first place at the inaugural University of Houston Law Center Interscholastic Triathlon Competition in September 2025, and two teams reached the finals of the ABA Client Counseling Competition.
The school has also expanded student engagement through the Dispute Resolution Board, a student-led organization that hosts alumni networking events, training boot camps and workshops focused on mediation and dispute resolution skills.
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is helping lead the conversation on the role of artificial intelligence in mediation. Professors Bill Froehlich and Amy Schmitz recently launched medAItion, a column and video series published in the American Arbitration Association’s Mediation Magazine that explores how mediators can use emerging AI tools while addressing ethical and practical considerations.
The series features conversations with dispute resolution leaders and technology experts from across the country. Froehlich directs the Divided Community Project and supervises student mediators through Moritz’s mediation clinic, while Schmitz leads the school’s JusticeTech initiative focused on the intersection of technology and dispute resolution.
Texas A&M University School of Law is expanding experiential learning through new global and community-focused initiatives. Professors Cynthia Alkon and Guillermo Garcia Sanchez are launching a field course, Energy Security and Hybrid Warfare, that will take students to Paris, Brussels and Lyon to study how lawyers advise governments, companies and organizations on conflict management and resilience, with a focus on the international energy sector.
The school’s Entrepreneurship Clinic is also partnering with the Tarrant County JP1 Court to create informational videos in English, Spanish and Vietnamese that help parties better understand debt collection mediation and receivership negotiation options.
Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s alternative dispute resolution program is anchored by its Dispute Resolution Institute, which offers courses in multiple formats, a certificate in Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice, and extensive experiential learning. Students gain hands-on experience through mediation clinics, negotiation and mediation competitions, pro bono service and externships in settings ranging from private practice to community dispute resolution. Students can also join the ADR Society.
The program also includes a January-term study abroad course, “Conflict Resolution from Religious Traditions,” in the Holy Land. Led by DRI Director Sharon Press, the 2026 trip brought students to Jerusalem and surrounding areas to explore how diverse religious and cultural communities work together and address conflict.
Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law’s The Kukin Program in Conflict Resolution gives students extensive opportunities to develop practical skills in arbitration and mediation. Cardozo students regularly compete in national and international competitions, earning honors such as the Best Markup Award at the UCLA Transactional Law Competition and a Distinction in Opening Statement at the ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition.
Through the Cardozo Mediation Clinic, students gain hands-on experience while serving the community. In partnership with the New York City Bar Association and New York Legal Assistance Group, students helped create videos to guide pro se litigants preparing for mediation and mediated more than 120 cases last year.
Methodology
preLaw magazine grades law schools based on the breadth of their curricular offerings. Scores are weighted as follows: 30% for a concentration, 24% for a clinic, 12% for a center, 12% for an externship, 9% for a journal, 8% for a student group, 5% for a certificate and added value for additional offerings.
