معرفی
Thomas J. Stipanowich is the William H. Webster Chair in Dispute Resolution and Professor of Law at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, where he also serves as a faculty member of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, consistently ranked as the top academic dispute resolution program in the United States. He teaches courses in negotiation theory and practice, mediation, arbitration practice and advocacy, international commercial arbitration, and international dispute resolution.
Professor Stipanowich received his J.D. from the University of Illinois in 1980, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, following his M. Arch (1976) and B.S. (1974, highest honors) from the same institution. His academic journey began at the University of Kentucky College of Law where he served as William L. Matthews Professor of Law from 1984 to 2001 before joining Pepperdine University.
Professor Stipanowich is a leading scholar in dispute resolution, with particular expertise in arbitration, mediation, and mixed-mode dispute resolution processes. His research spans commercial arbitration, international dispute resolution, construction law conflicts, and historical perspectives on conflict management including his work on Abraham Lincoln as a negotiator. His scholarship bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications, influencing both academic discourse and professional practice in the field.
His extensive publication record demonstrates evolving trends in dispute resolution, with recent work focusing on mixed-mode processes (Med-Arb, Arb-Med), the international evolution of mediation, and empirical studies of commercial arbitration practices. His scholarship increasingly integrates historical perspectives with contemporary dispute resolution challenges, as evidenced by his work on Lincoln's approach to conflict management.
Professor Stipanowich has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to the field:
- CPR Institute's First Prize for Professional Articles (1987 and 2009)
- D'Alemberte/Raven Award from the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution (2008)
- CPR Institute's James F. Henry Award for distinguished contributions to dispute resolution (2016)
- Distinguished Law Professor honorific title from National Law University, Delhi (2017)
- Randolph Lowry Award from the Southern California Mediation Association (2011)
- Companionship of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers
- Founding Fellow of the American College of Commercial Arbitrators
As an experienced practitioner, Professor Stipanowich has served as President and CEO of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR Institute) from 2001 to 2006, where he expanded the organization's global presence and initiated several key programs. He has advised on major rule revisions including the Uniform Arbitration Act and the Uniform Mediation Act, and was the chief drafter of the Consumer Due Process Protocol. His empirical studies of corporate counsel, arbitrators, and mediators have significantly influenced understanding of current trends in commercial dispute resolution.
Professor Stipanowich is actively involved with several professional organizations, serving on the Executive Committee of the International Task Force on Mixed Mode Dispute Resolution Processes, as an advisor on the ALI Restatement of U.S. Law on International Arbitration, and on the Advisory Board of the New York International Arbitration Center. His work with the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution has been instrumental in maintaining its position as the nation's leading academic program in dispute resolution.
