Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law - Beus Center for Law and Society Snell & Wilmer Plaza

Lodestar Mediation Clinic

The Lodestar Mediation Clinic, an integral component of the nationally recognized Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center, provides students the opportunity to learn about alternatives to litigation while gaining practical experience about the mediation process. Student attorneys experience an intensive training program focusing on the theory, strategy, and skills involved in the mediation of legal disputes, then act as mediators in civil (non-family) cases.

What students do:

  • Act as neutral third parties who help Justice Court litigants attempt to resolve their lawsuits before trial.
  • Shadow and co-mediate with professional mediators from the EEOC and private practice.
  • Shadow judges in judicial settlement conferences.
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Course information

The Mediation Clinic is a one-semester course.

  • Credits: four graded credits
  • Students will have the option of completing their graduation writing requirement through the Mediation Clinic by enrolling in a one-credit independent study. Registration instructions will be provided to those interested during the first week of classes.
  • Enrollment is limited to 6 students.
  • Students will undergo and must be able to pass a background check per Maricopa County Court regulations.
  • No course pre or co requisites.

Time commitment

  • Students are expected to spend a minimum of 180 hours of clinical work during the one semester.
  • Students must attend a three day pre-semester training program.
  • Classes meet twice weekly.
  • The more scheduling flexibility one has, the easier it is to schedule mediations Students are advised to block our 1 full day per week to schedule mediations and at a minimum must have two half-days to conduct mediations. Note that while we will have some mediations scheduled for the afternoon, the majority of mediations start in the morning.

Student Applications Dates for Clinic:

Spring 2023:
Applications: September 23 - October 23, 2022
Offers extended to students: October 21, 2022
Student acceptances due: November 7, 2022 by 9 a.m.

Fall 2022: Application period: January 17 - February 20, 2022 Offers extended to students: February 25, 2022 Student acceptances due: February 28, 2022 by 9 a.m.

**IMPORTANT!* - Externships and Clinics – Students who have applied for an externship or clinic and been accepted may decline upon offer without consequence. However, once a student has accepted an externship or clinic, any student who drops the externship or clinic without prior approval by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will be subject to the 12-month ban.

Students may apply via Atlas during the application period listed above.

Our People

Art Hinshaw

Art Hinshaw
Clinical Professor of Law
Art.Hinshaw@asu.edu