Lodestar Dispute Resolution Program
at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Arizona State University

Believing that the widespread and ever-growing use of litigation has fostered a breakdown of civility in our business and personal lives, Jerry Hirsch began investing in mediation as an alternate way of resolving disputes long before formation of The Lodestar Foundation. We have continued and expanded that investment, which started with support of a mediation clinic at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (ASU) and has grown into the Lodestar Dispute Resolution Program, encompassing training both lawyers and non-lawyers in various forms of dispute resolution, performing scholarly research in the field, and providing mediation services in various forums. Some of the innovative projects initiated by the program include developing a handbook for use by dormitory advisors to resolve disputes among dorm students, instructing junior high school students on alternative dispute resolution techniques, and having dispute resolution students serve as mediators in actual small claims complaints filed in the City of Tempe (the home of ASU) Justice Court, where an average of more than 60% of such disputes are being settled by these student mediators. The Lodestar dispute resolution partnership with ASU has been in place for more than ten years. In 2006, program students won the ABA National Mediation Competition and in 2005, the law school received the inaugural Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Alternative Dispute Resolution Education Award for its development of innovative curriculum, research and service in the area of alternative dispute resolution, or ADR. ($1,500,000+)

More information about the Lodestar Dispute Resolution Program can be found at the program's website, http://www.law.asu.edu/programs/Programs/LodestarDisputeResolutionProgram.aspx.