SCRC Members Learn Through Mock Arbitrations, Mediations, and Negotiations
The Scheinman Conflict Resolution Club gives students a chance to do more than learn about dispute resolution in theory. At the club’s weekly Thursday meetings at 4:30 p.m., members actively work through mock arbitrations, mediations, and negotiations that mirror the kinds of conflicts they may one day face in labor relations, law, and workplace problem-solving. Recent exercises have included disputes connected to Cornell and campus unions, giving students the chance to engage with issues that feel immediate and real.
The value of these exercises, according to Vice President Clyde Lederman, ‘26, is that they allow students to understand what conflict resolution work actually “looks and feels like.” Instead of talking about arbitration or mediation in the abstract, club members step into the roles of advocates, analyze facts, build arguments, and test their reasoning in front of others. That hands-on model is reflected in the club’s case materials.
In one mock arbitration, students argued whether the September 11 attacks should be treated as one event or multiple events for insurance coverage purposes, using facts, contract language, and arbitration doctrines to support their side. The exercise was specifically designed to introduce students to core arbitral elements like issue framing, party positions, legal analysis, and arbitral awards. In another case, students worked through a dispute involving the Tompkins-Cortland Building Trades Council and Cornell University over bargaining-unit work, grievance procedures, mediation, and arbitration.
The collaborative side of the club is also a major part of what makes it meaningful. As Farrah Zerola, ‘29, president-elect, states “The arbitration and negotiation simulations that we do have been an amazing, hands-on way to understand how alternative dispute resolution works, and why it’s such an important legal tool to have outside of litigation. The simulations are always very rewarding, and everyone enjoys collaborating in their teams to build their defense, which has created a truly wonderful community where members are engaged and supportive of each other.”
As the club continues to grow, it is creating a space where students can engage seriously with conflict in ways that feel practical, challenging, and relevant. These simulations give members a clearer sense of the kinds of questions, tensions, and decisions that shape dispute resolution work. For students interested in labor, law, or workplace relations, the Scheinman Conflict Resolution Club offers a unique opportunity to explore that field early and in a much more concrete way than a traditional classroom setting alone.
