Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cardozo Mediation Clinic, part of the school’s Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution, has continued mediating for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over the Zoom platform.

Clinic Director Donna Erez-Navot said, “It’s really been seamless. We are settling cases even when the hearings at EEOC are suspended.”

Gila Sohn, a 3L student, has been working with the clinic on the EEOC cases. She said, “I read through the case materials and helped prepare for the mediation by speaking to both of the parties’ attorneys to get a better sense of what their interests were before mediating the case. Professor Erez-Navot first-chaired the mediation and I really got to watch how she skillfully navigated the conversation. Mediating an EEOC case was an incredible learning opportunity. I got to see how a seasoned mediator navigates sensitive issues involving employment. This was also the first time that I was part of a mediation that involved lawyers on both sides, so it was eye-opening to see the roles that lawyers play in mediations.”

In addition, clinic students are continuing to sharpen their skills by doing cross-school mediations. Erez-Navot said, “Every Tuesday and Thursday night, our students mediate role plays on Zoom with other law students from New York Law School and Brooklyn Law School. It’s a good way to practice our skills and using students from other schools makes it more interesting and engaging.”