Lisa Klerman

Lisa Klerman serves as Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Mediation Clinic at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She founded the law school's Center for Dispute Resolution and ADR Certificate Program, with her Mediation Clinic receiving the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council's ADR Education Award in 2011. Her career bridges academia and professional mediation practice, specializing in employment law disputes.

Her research focuses on dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly mediation in employment law contexts including wage/hour class actions and PAGA cases. She examines empirical aspects of mediation dynamics, settlement patterns in employment disputes, and the intersection of ADR with employment discrimination and harassment litigation. Her work emphasizes practical applications of mediation theory in complex legal conflicts.

Klerman's publications reveal strong trends in empirical analysis of mediation processes and specialized focus on employment law applications. Her work spans foundational ADR theory, empirical legal studies, and practical guides for employment discrimination cases, with consistent emphasis on class actions and workplace conflict resolution.

• Ninth Circuit Judicial Council ADR Education Award (2011)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent -- Judicial Division rating

As Director of the Mediation Clinic, Klerman trains law students in mediation practice while conducting active mediations in employment disputes. Her private mediation practice handles high-stakes cases including class actions, with clients spanning plaintiffs and defendants. She has secured significant settlements through her mediation expertise while maintaining academic leadership in ADR education.

Klerman leads the USC Gould Mediation Clinic, which operates as both an educational program for law students and a service provider for real-world mediation cases. The clinic has established partnerships with courts and bar associations, creating a pipeline for student involvement in professional dispute resolution while advancing empirical research on mediation effectiveness.