“Probably the most uniformly excellent cast of speakers we have ever had.” –Thomas Stipanowich, Academic Director of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, William H. Webster Chair in Dispute Resolution, Professor of Law

“Every detail of the conference, from speaker selection to presentation timing, was perfectly designed and executed” –Randall Kiser, conference participant

“I enjoyed and profited from the entire event very much.” – Pietro Brambilla, Daimler, conference participant

November 11, 2015 — Nearly 150 practitioners, experts, and students gathered in Malibu, California, this week for the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution’s “Managing Conflict 4.0: The New Wave of Opportunities for Businesses Around the Globe.” Participants and organizers alike described the two-day conference as a uniquely effective event, even for an institute that hosts trainings and conferences around the year and across the globe. Nearly all of the twelve speakers – from companies and organizations ranging from American Express and Monsanto to the International Red Cross – expressed interest in opportunities to return or work with the institute again.

The conference, held November 9-10 at the Drescher Conference Center on Pepperdine University’s Malibu Campus, brought together corporate and public leaders, scholars, and creative thinkers to share insights about handling and leveraging conflict between and within organizations, particularly in a global context. KPMG Law Germany was the co-sponsor for the program, and Stipanowich along with Alexander Insam, Partner, KPMG & KPMG Law Germany, co-planned the conference. Other co-sponsors included Aon, College of Commercial Arbitrators, International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AmCham Germany, and German-American Chambers of Commerce. The speakers “spoke about cutting edge developments, and usually spoke from personal involvement,” says Stipanowich. “Our students were treated to a truly unique array of insights into where we are going in the conflict management field.”

A highlight of the conference for graduate students was the variety of networking opportunities built into the event. Speakers and LLM and MDR (Masters in Dispute Resolution) students were able to connect at a Sunday reception preceding the event, two dinners, and a Tuesday afternoon “Community of Thinkers” workshop. The workshop, which included participants who came from as far as Europe for the express purpose of participating in the unique session, developed ideas for initiatives in international conflict management, including potential directions for new Straus Institute initiatives.

“The conference was a true success and I am excited to see where all the great ideas that were presented will lead us in terms of academic work,” says Canadian law professor and Straus Institute alumna Véronique Fraser. “We are all leaving the conference with newly energized minds and ideas.”

Learn more

The conference was a collaboration with Pepperdine School of Law’s Dispute Resolution Law Journal, which is developing much of the conference’s content into material for publication. The conference was also recorded, and organizers expect the video to be available online soon.

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