Why teach conflict theory in a law school?
In the main, Conflict Theory is a perspectives course, which, like jurisprudence, legal history, and critical legal studies, broadens the student’s understanding of the law, and lawyering, beyond mere doctrine and application. In particular, Conflict Theory can help law students achieve greater empathy for their clients, and provide deeper insights into what processes and remedies might be most effective in addressing the client’s needs and interests. It can also enhance the students’ own emotional intelligence by providing a deeper understanding of how they relate to conflict, both as individuals and as lawyers. Finally, Conflict Theory can give law students a fuller perspective of their place as lawyers in society, and how they may serve that role more constructively. In this way, Conflict Theory supports, and is supported by, more traditional dispute resolution courses, including client counseling, negotiation, mediation, the dispute resolution survey course, systems design, as well
