Indisputably

Elliott Portnoy, founding global CEO of Dentons and now Global CEO Emeritus, shares what he has learned from decades of negotiating mergers, partnerships, and cross-cultural deals. Elliott reflects on how his approach has changed from seeing negotiation as a contest where the best-prepared person wins to understanding that the real goal is a lasting agreement—and, especially in mergers, the relationship that comes afterward. “It’s not about the merger,” he explains. “It’s about the marriage that results.”

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In a workplace mediation, an employee tells mediator Maurice Q. Robinson: “I want to be heard without being cleaned up.” When Maurice realizes that his carefully chosen reframe has softened her experience, he changes course—and the entire conversation shifts. 

This is a powerful story about reframing, neutrality, bias, anger, and the difference between helping someone find their voice and actually helping others hear it. 

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

Andrea Schneider sits down with her friend Daryl Davis, award-winning musician, author, lecturer, and race reconciliator, whose extraordinary approach to negotiation has led him to conversations with Ku Klux Klan members and leaders. Daryl doesn't approach these encounters by trying to win an argument. Instead, he gets curious, builds credibility, listens, and looks for the human being on the other side.

Daryl shares the story of the Klan leader whose racist beliefs were challenged by one deceptively simple conversation.

Drawing on his life as a musician and the child of diplomats, Daryl talks about “harmony” and “controlled dissonance,” why replacing “you” and “I” with “we” and “us” can change a negotiation, and why credibility may be your most valuable asset at the table.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

What happens when a mediator finds one of the lawyers in the room truly loathsome—and realizes that her own feelings may affect the outcome?

In this episode, mediator and scholar Ellen Waldman tells the story of an unusual breach-of-contract case involving a young couple, a failed kink magazine, and a lawyer determined to convince a jury to “run them out of town.” As the mediation unfolds, Ellen confronts the powerful emotions in the room and shares the technique she used to resolve the case.

The case stayed with Ellen for years, raising difficult questions about mediator neutrality, the hidden forces that shape settlement, and the enormous influence mediators can have, even when they don't intend to.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this episode of How My Friends Negotiate, host Andrea Schneider talks negotiation with her longtime friend Indira Lakshmanan, award-winning journalist and host of NPR’s Here & Now. Indira shares lessons from decades of interviewing world leaders and reporting from some of the world's most dangerous places: do your homework, ask the right question, build trust—and know when it's time to walk away. 

Plus, she tells the story of the time she spent a day with pirates in the Philippines and discovered afterward that her translator had been negotiating for their safety the entire time. 

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this special live episode of Indisputably, Andrea Schneider hosts a powerful conversation with Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, co-founders of Lift Our Voices, about their groundbreaking work to change workplace culture and protect survivors of harassment.

Carlson, an internationally recognized journalist, author, and women’s rights advocate, helped spark the global #MeToo movement after speaking out against former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes. A former CBS News and Fox News anchor, she later became a leading advocate for workplace reform and was instrumental in helping pass the bipartisan Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. Roginsky, a nationally recognized political strategist and longtime advocate for women’s empowerment, has spent her career mentoring women in politics and fighting to end workplace silencing mechanisms after filing her own sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Fox News.

Recorded during a live event, the conversation explores the years-long bipartisan effort behind the landmark legislation, the importance of accountability and transparency in the workplace, and the continuing fight to dismantle systems that keep misconduct hidden.

Carlson and Roginsky also introduce their new AI-powered tool, “Love Where You Work,” which helps employees and job seekers make more informed decisions about workplace culture and safety.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this episode of Stories Mediators Tell, international mediator Jeremy Lack shares a high-stakes story from a patent dispute between a U.S. company and a French company, where legal complexity and cross-cultural tensions put creativity to the test.

Known for his innovative approach to dispute resolution, Lack reflects on how flexibility, strategic risk-taking, and unconventional thinking helped guide the parties through a volatile conflict. His story offers a compelling look at what it means to mediate “dangerously” when traditional approaches may not be enough.

This episode highlights the power of creativity and adaptability in resolving complex international disputes.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this episode of How My Friends Negotiate, host Andrea Schneider welcomes Jason P. Armstrong, retired police chief, nationally recognized leadership expert, and former Ferguson police chief, for a powerful conversation about negotiation under pressure.

Drawing from more than two decades of leadership in high-stakes environments, Jason reflects on why he defines success in negotiation not simply by outcomes, but by whether people leave an interaction with dignity intact. His approach highlights the power of listening, empathy, and intentionality—even in moments of extreme pressure.

This episode offers practical lessons on empathy, de-escalation, and finding better outcomes when the stakes are real.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this episode of Stories Mediators Tell, co-host Lela Porter Love steps into the guest chair to share a compelling story from her work mediating a public employment dispute involving Salvadorian day laborers on Long Island.

A nationally recognized leader in dispute resolution and the founding director of the Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law, Lela reflects on the practical and human challenges of navigating a complex public policy mediation. From coordinating schedules among diverse stakeholders to finding a location where all parties could come together, this story highlights how the logistics of mediation can be as critical as the dialogue itself.

Through this powerful example, Lela explores how thoughtful process design, persistence, and respect can help address deeply rooted tensions in community conflict. Her story offers listeners an inside look at the often unseen work of mediation and the ways careful planning can create the conditions for meaningful conversation and lasting impact.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this special live episode of Indisputably, recorded at the International Advocate for Peace (IAP) Award Ceremony, host Andrea Schneider sits down with George Moose, the 25th recipient of the prestigious honor presented by the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution.

In front of a live audience, Ambassador Moose reflects on a distinguished career dedicated to diplomacy and peacebuilding—from serving as U.S. Ambassador to Benin and Senegal, to his role as Assistant Secretary of African Affairs, and later as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. He also shares insights from his years at the United States Institute of Peace, where he ultimately served as CEO.

The conversation explores the realities of navigating conflict during moments of political transition, the challenges of advancing peace on a global stage, and the enduring importance of principled leadership in international affairs.

This episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective from a lifetime diplomat whose work has helped shape peace efforts around the world.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law