معرفی
Rachel A. Viscomi is a Clinical Professor at Harvard Law School and serves as the Director of the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program (HNMCP). She leads the Harvard Dispute Systems Design Clinic, where she trains students to become problem-solving lawyers while supporting clients in reimagining how they manage conflict within their organizations. Viscomi has supervised projects globally, spanning the United States, Canada, Israel, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Viscomi joined HNMCP in 2013 as Assistant Director and Clinical Instructor, advancing to Director in 2018. Her academic journey includes a J.D. from Harvard Law School (2001), an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College (1998), and a B.A. summa cum laude in Italian Literature from Columbia University (1997). Prior to her academic career, she worked as a principal in the Corporate Education Practice of Vantage Partners and as a civil litigator with Bingham McCutchen, LLP.
Rachel Viscomi's research and teaching focus on negotiation, alternative dispute resolution, and conflict resolution. Her work explores innovative approaches to managing conflict in various contexts, from organizational settings to international disputes. She has particular expertise in dispute systems design, facilitated dialogue, and strategic negotiation advice. Viscomi's teaching philosophy emphasizes not only external conflict resolution but also the internal tensions that arise during this work.
Her scholarly contributions often bridge academic theory with practical application, as evidenced by her publications connecting conflict resolution principles to popular culture, particularly through the lens of Star Wars narratives. This creative approach helps make complex negotiation concepts accessible to broader audiences.
Viscomi has expanded access to facilitation and dialogue within the Harvard Law School community and beyond. She has trained numerous new lawyers and conflict consultants to lead through uncertainty, addressing the strong emotions, cognitive biases, and narrative complexities inherent in disputes.
As an educator, Viscomi teaches advanced negotiation courses including 'Designing Dispute Systems for Justice,' 'Facilitation Workshop: Leading Challenging Conversations in Business, Politics, and the Community,' and 'Advanced Negotiation: Multiparty Negotiation, Group Decision Making and Teams.' She also created reading groups for first-year students exploring themes like 'Theories of Nonviolent Resistance' and 'Engaging conflict as a means for personal growth.'
