Indisputably

On this episode of How My Friends Negotiate, host Andrea Schneider welcomes Carol Becker, owner of the iconic William Greenberg Desserts, to explore what negotiation looks like behind the scenes of a beloved New York institution.

Carol shares how she navigates negotiations with vendors and suppliers, balancing quality, cost, and long-standing relationships to keep a legacy business thriving. She also reflects on the complexities of real estate negotiations in New York City—where every decision can shape the future of a small business.

From starting out baking challah for friends to becoming the steward of a nearly 80-year-old bakery, Carol discusses how trust, preparation, and community play a central role in her approach to negotiation. She offers a candid look at what it means to honor tradition while making strategic decisions that move a business forward.

This episode is a thoughtful conversation about negotiation in everyday business—where relationships matter just as much as the bottom line.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this episode of Stories Mediators Tell, Joseph B. Stulberg shares a powerful account of a community conflict where issues of racism and free speech collided, with real consequences for a high school student-athlete preparing to play at a Big Ten football program.

Stulberg, the Michael E. Moritz Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cardozo School of Law, draws on decades of experience to reflect on the challenges of mediating deeply charged disputes rooted in identity, values, and public perception. As tensions escalated and divisions hardened, the stakes extended beyond individuals to an entire community.

Through this story, Stulberg explores what it takes to create space for dialogue when emotions run high and positions feel irreconcilable. He offers insight into the role of a mediator in navigating complex social conflict and the importance of process, patience, and principled engagement in moments that test the limits of understanding.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this episode of How My Friends Negotiate, host Andrea Schneider welcomes John Elefterakis, founding partner of Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek and a leading trial lawyer whose work has secured over a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements.

John shares how he learned the power of negotiation early in his career—and why preparation remains at the core of every successful outcome. From understanding the full range of possible outcomes to knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your case, he explains why “preparation is everything” when stepping into any negotiation.

The conversation also explores how and when to push back effectively, and why even a little bit of math can make a big difference in evaluating offers and making strategic decisions. Drawing on his experience in high-stakes personal injury and civil rights cases, John offers practical insights into balancing advocacy with strategy.

A 2009 graduate of Cardozo and a member of its Board of Overseers, John remains deeply committed to mentorship and expanding opportunities for the next generation—bringing the same focus and purpose to his negotiations as he does to his broader work in the community.

This episode is a grounded, real-world look at negotiation from the perspective of a litigator who stakes everything on getting it right.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this episode of Stories Mediators Tell, internationally recognized mediator Srdan Simic shares a story drawn from a divorce mediation that reveals the subtle, human elements at the heart of conflict resolution.

A pioneer in mediation and a judge with decades of experience, Simac has handled hundreds of disputes across a wide range of contexts . In this conversation, he reflects on how something as simple as arranging the physical space can shape the tone of a mediation, and how finding even the smallest piece of common ground can begin to shift entrenched positions.

Through a memorable interaction with a particularly resistant participant, Šimac illustrates how patience, creativity, and empathy can break down barriers that at first seem immovable. Drawing inspiration from The Rolling Stones and their lyric “you can’t always get what you want,” he offers a powerful reminder about expectations, compromise, and what resolution can truly look like.

This episode highlights the art of mediation in practice, and the unexpected ways connection can emerge even in the most personal and challenging disputes.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

Andrea Schneider sits down with Robert "Bob" Bordone, Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, founder of the Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program, and a leading voice in conflict resolution, to talk about negotiating his own book deal and what he’s learned from decades in the field.

From high-stakes disputes to everyday conversations, Bob shares what great negotiators consistently do and how to navigate even the most challenging conversations with clarity and purpose.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this special episode of Stories Mediators Tell, co-host Robyn Weinstein shares two memorable mediation stories, “Random Conversation” and “Unexpected Events,” originally told by ADR pioneer Margaret L. Shaw.

A respected leader in the field, Shaw devoted decades to advancing dispute resolution across courts, nonprofits, and academia. Her work included launching innovative mediation programs, contributing to groundbreaking research on court-connected mediation, and mentoring generations of practitioners. She passed away in 2017 and left a lasting legacy in the ADR community.

Through these two stories, listeners encounter the surprising and deeply human moments that often shape mediation. Unexpected conversations, chance encounters, and small shifts in perspective can transform conflict in meaningful ways. This episode honors Shaw’s enduring influence and the curiosity and compassion she brought to the practice of mediation.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this episode of How My Friends Negotiate, host Andrea Schneider sits down with two-time Olympic champion rower, attorney, and negotiator Caryn Davies to explore how the mindset and skills of elite athletes translate to negotiating in life and business.

Caryn dives into a compelling negotiation story from her own practice, mentoring a client through a tricky dispute over who owned the rights to an educational course and whether it could be sold. By getting to the heart of what was truly driving the negotiation (each party’s “why") they were able to break through the stalemate and find a resolution.

Then, Caryn reflects on her life as an athlete and negotiator, sharing lessons from life in the boat that have shaped her approach to feedback, teamwork, and conflict. From knowing the right and wrong times to give feedback after a race to the core lesson that “we’re all in the same boat,” she reveals how competitive rowing taught her more than just how to win, it taught her how to collaborate, communicate, and negotiate under pressure.

Caryn Davies is a decorated American rower, earning two Olympic golds and a silver over three Games, and a leader with deep experience in high-stakes environments both on and off the water.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this episode of Stories Mediators Tell, Carol B. Liebman reflects on her role mediating a high-stakes campus conflict at Columbia University in the 1990s.

As student protests intensified—escalating from hunger strikes to building occupations and arrests—university leaders sought help amid mounting concerns about student safety, academic futures, and institutional reputation. Liebman stepped in to work with both administrators and student leaders as deadlines loomed and emotions ran high.

What followed was a tense, deeply human negotiation process that tested trust, resilience, and the power of dialogue. In sharing this story, Liebman offers insight into mediating institutional conflict and the unexpected connection that can emerge when people commit to staying in conversation.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

On this episode of How My Friends Negotiate, host and professor Andrea Schneider welcomes leadership expert and author Ruth Gotian for a conversation on negotiating at the highest levels.

Ruth shares the behind-the-scenes story of negotiating her book advance and publishing deal, offering candid insights into what it takes to advocate for your value. She reflects on the early days of working remotely—long before it was common—and how creating flexibility sometimes requires negotiating norms that don’t yet exist. The conversation also dives into salary negotiation strategies, especially for high achievers who may struggle to ask for more.

At the heart of the episode is Ruth’s powerful framework for opportunity creation: find a need, show the need, and demonstrate how you can fill that gap. Drawing on her research studying Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, Olympic and NBA champions, and senior executives, she explains how top performers don’t wait for doors to open; they build them.

Dr. Ruth Gotian is a globally recognized expert in mentorship and leadership development. Named a top 20 mentor worldwide and ranked the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50, she is the award-winning author of The Success Factor and The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring.

A former Chief Learning Officer and mentoring dean at Weill Cornell Medicine, she now serves as Managing Director of her advisory and executive coaching practice, helping leaders and organizations unlock sustained high performance.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law

In this moving episode of Stories Mediators Tell, mediator Eric Galton shares the story of a tragic car accident that brought together two families under unimaginable circumstances. After a beloved father and community member is killed in a sudden collision just days before the holidays, the driver responsible is left grappling with grief, guilt, and a deep desire to connect with the victim’s family—despite legal barriers and uncertainty about what mediation might bring.

What unfolds in the mediation room -- where lawyers and insurance adjusters are bargaining about damages -- becomes a powerful example of how honest dialogue between the actual parties can transform conflict into unexpected moments of humanity and healing. This episode reflects the heart of Stories Mediators Tell: the profound ways conversation can open paths forward even after profound loss.

Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law