Established in 2007, the conference brings together dispute resolution scholars and researchers from across the country to participate in a rigorous, collegial speaker series. Co-hosted by Quinnipiac School of Law and The Yale Law School, the 2023 conference featured 45 presentations and took place at Quinnipiac University for the first time in conference history.

Quinnipiac School of Law Dean Jennifer Brown and Yale School of Law Dean Heather Gerken presided as event co-hosts during the two-day conference on the North Haven Campus.

At the October 13 plenary session in the Ceremonial Courtroom, Brown greeted conference presenters, distinguished guests, and attendees.

“Being able to host this conference feels like a dream fulfilled,” said Brown. “Ever since I went to one of the first Works-in-Progress conferences, I have always loved the atmosphere, the culture, the sense of curiosity, and risk-taking and openness that pervades at this conference. I’m just thrilled that Quinnipiac can be a place that welcomes you to have that experience with each other.”

Since 1998, Quinnipiac School of Law and The Yale Law School have co-sponsored The Quinnipiac-Yale Dispute Resolution Workshop, an annual speaker series featuring nationally recognized ADR scholars and practitioners. Brown welcomed many past workshop participants to the 2023 AALS ADR Section WIP conference.

“It feels wonderful to think about how so many of you, over the years, have contributed to the work and the thinking, the theory and the practice of dispute resolution,” said Brown. “And to those of you who may have entered this field more recently, I can’t wait to get to know you, and I’m so excited to be here and to hear about your ideas."

Donna Shestowsky, chair of the AALS Section on ADR, said the conference serves as a vital platform for faculty members and other researchers to receive feedback on their works in progress and ideas to help them develop their work.

“It really is a core annual event for the AALS Section,” said Shestowsky. “Here we are in Connecticut for our wonderful annual WIP, and I’m sure that I speak for everyone here when I say we have deep gratitude for the many individuals who have dedicated their time, effort, and resources to organizing this conference."

Shestowsky thanked Brown and Quinnipiac School of Law’s Center on Dispute Resolution co-directors Charles Pillsbury and Carolyn Kaas for their organizational work, together with many other members of the center team, as well as Gerken and her colleagues at The Yale School of Law.

During the plenary session, Deborah Eisenberg, Chair Regent, AALS ADR Section, recognized Best Scholarly Article Award recipients Mitchell Zamoff and Leslie Bellwood. They presented their article, “Proposed Guidelines for Arbitral Disclosure of Social Media Activity” 23 Cardozo J. of Conflict Resolution 1 (2022). Zamoff is J. Stewart and Mario Thomas McClendon Professor of Law and ADR at the University of Minnesota Law School and also serves as Assistant Dean of Experiential Education. Bellwood, a Minnesota attorney, is a cum laude graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and served as a research assistant for Professor Zamoff.

Pillsbury credited Brown with bringing the prestigious, nationally recognized AALS ADR Section WIP conference to Quinnipiac.

“Being selected to host this conference is the academic equivalent of winning the national championship in the resolution field,” said Pillsbury. “It’s further recognition of what we’ve accomplished already, and one of the reasons we’re so highly ranked is because of our ADR Dean, Jen Brown.”

Brown said Pillsbury, who also serves as a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence in Dispute Resolution, has honored Quinnipiac by joining the School of Law following his extremely successful run as Executive Director of Community Mediation Inc. in New Haven. Brown listed many other impactful accomplishments and achievements in Pillsbury’s career.

“I would say about Charlie that this is a person who has dedicated his professional life to mediation, to community organizing, to empowering people and building capacity in individuals and in communities,” said Brown.

In a surprise announcement at the plenary session, Brown named Pillsbury the recipient of Quinnipiac School of Law’s inaugural Peacemaker Award, which will be known as the Charles Pillsbury Peacemaker Award in future years.