After more than 30 years litigating civil rights cases, Doug developed a growing interest in mediation and dispute resolution. That interest evolved over decades of participating in mediations, ENEs, and settlement conferences, where significant time and expense were consumed by educating the mediator on the law, often with limited impact on resolution. 

A turning point came during a mediation when opposing counsel remarked, “It would be easier to resolve this case without the mediator.” The comment highlighted the importance of subject-matter expertise in effective mediation and ultimately reshaped Doug’s professional focus.

Doug enrolled in Harvard Law School’s Mediation Intensive. It was taught by leading experts in dispute resolution, including Alain Lempereur (Harvard Kennedy Professor of Social Policy and Management), David Hoffman (Harvard Law School Professor of Mediation, Diversity and Dispute Resolution) and Robert Mnookin (Harvard Law School’s Professor Emeritus of Conflict Resolution). With participation and perspectives by students from eight countries, it was a true master class.