Eileen Barkas Hoffman

Eileen Barkas Hoffman serves as a Professorial Lecturer in Law at George Washington University while maintaining her position as Senior Mediator (Commissioner) with the U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in the Office of Conflict Mediation and Prevention (OCMP) and International Affairs.

Her academic credentials include:

• BS from Cornell University's New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations (1969)
• MA in political science from Columbia University's Graduate Faculties (1971)
• JD from Georgetown University School of Law (1987)

Specializing in alternative dispute resolution, Professor Hoffman teaches ADR and negotiation courses at the GWU Law School along with a graduate Collective Bargaining course in the Organizational Sciences and Communications Department. With 47 years of practical experience at FMCS, she has mediated complex employment disputes, labor conflicts, and discrimination cases. Her innovative teaching approach incorporates role plays, exercises, and videos of actual mediation processes while bringing industry experts into the classroom to share their specialized knowledge with students.

Her professional recognition includes:

• John F. Kennedy Labor Law award from Georgetown University
• Excellent Teacher Award selected by GW Law School and its students

Professor Hoffman's career progression at FMCS demonstrates remarkable advancement - beginning in the mediator ranks in 1975, she became district director in 1985, and served as both General Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs in 1981. Notably, she testified before the Senate Committee regarding the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1990, which mandated federal agencies to implement effective ADR processes.