HONORS FOR FACULTY PRACTICTIONERS WESTERN JUSTICE CENTER HONORS SHAPHAN ROBERTS AS CHAMPION OF JUSTICE The Western Justice Center honored professor Shaphan Roberts at its annual Empower Gala with a Champion of Justice award. Founded in 1987, the Western Justice Center is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening communities by growing conflict-resolution skills for youth, educators, and neighborhood partners. Professor Roberts (pictured at right with Sukhsimranjit Singh) teaches Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution and Mediation as an adjunct professor at the institute and serves as the director of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Dispute Resolution Program (DRP). In this role, Roberts manages all of DRP’s initiatives, including community mediation services and the Community Police Unification (CPU) Program, an interagency collaboration that aims to cultivate a better understanding between law enforcement and local communities. As part of his efforts in this program, he spearheaded the design of a responsivity tool that helps match mediators with mediation participants. “We are incredibly proud of Shaphan’s innovative work to resolve conflict and usher in peace across Los Angeles County, and we are excited that our students have a chance to learn from such a transformative leader in their course,” said Sukhsimranjit Singh, who attended the event with Stephanie Blondell and Payton Silket (’20, MDR ’21). The Straus Institute has collaborated with the Western Justice Center on its first-ever youth convening, in which its executive director, Elissa Barrett, served as a featured speaker along with staff members Shaun Gatlin and Arturo Magana.
BILL EDDY PRESENTED WITH STAR AWARD BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MEDIATION ASSOCIATION Bill Eddy was honored with the Star Award for his distinguished conflict resolution career and contributions to family mediation at the Southern California Mediator Association’s annual Family Mediation Institute. Eddy has taught a variety of courses for the institute as an adjunct professor, including Selected Issues in Dispute Resolution: High Conflict Cases. As cofounder of the High Conflict Institute, he has trained lawyers, mediators, judges, mental health professionals, and others on managing highconflict personalities.
REBECCA CALLAHAN (LLM ’07) FEATURED IN LOS ANGELES DAILY JOURNAL Alumna Rebecca Callahan, who teaches Arbitration Theory and Practice as an adjunct professor, was the featured neutral mediator selected and profiled by the Los Angeles Daily Journal on February 5. Callahan is an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator who specializes in resolving business disputes. She serves on commercial and complex case panels for the American Arbitration Association, and on a panel for the International Center for Dispute Resolution. After working as a litigator for many years, Callahan found her love for dispute resolution through a court-annexed mediation program launched in 1995 by US Bankruptcy Court judge Barry Russell. She stated, “I loved the process because it gave my clients some other options and it gave me some other skills.”
DAVID TALBOT (MDR ’98) PRESENTED WITH EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD 2021 Professor and alumnus David Wilburn Talbot was presented the 2021 David McKibbin Excellence in Teaching Award by professors Tom Stipanowich and Sukhsimranjit Singh. The award is given each year to a Caruso Law adjunct faculty member who exemplifies excellence in teaching and devotion to students. The award is named after one of Caruso Law’s former full-time tax professors, David McKibbin, who was beloved by students. Talbot previously served as ombudsman for the World Bank Group, and has been an adjunct professor with the Straus Institute for the past 12 years where he teaches an ombudsman course. He is also a valued mentor to many Straus Institute alumni.
Pepperdine University
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