From Position to Resolution: Negotiation Skills Every New Lawyer Needs

This program will discuss the core strategies, ethical considerations, and practical techniques attorneys need to effectively negotiate settlements. Designed for newer practitioners and attorneys seeking to strengthen their negotiation skills, the course will focus on preparation, leverage assessment, client counseling, communication strategy, and managing difficult opposing counsel.

Participants will learn how to move beyond positional bargaining, structure productive negotiations, avoid common early-career mistakes, and ethically advocate for client interests while maintaining credibility AND honoring the voice of the client. This program will benefit new litigators, family law practitioners, and any attorney who engages in settlement discussions as part of their practice.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Identify key leverage factors that influence settlement outcomes
2. Prepare a structured negotiation plan before entering settlement discussions
3. Apply principled negotiation techniques to move parties beyond rigid positions
4. Recognize ethical boundaries and common negotiation pitfalls for new attorneys
5. Develop strategies for handling impasse, difficult personalities, and high-conflict negotiations