Explore interdisciplinary legal centers and initiatives at the USC Gould School of Law. Focused on advancing legal scholarship and led by renowned USC Gould faculty, our centers convene events and discussions around important current topics, and serve as sources of expertise that shape national dialogue and inform decisions locally and globally.
Led by award-winning faculty experts, the Center for Dispute Resolution at USC Gould School of Law offers thorough preparation in arbitration, mediation and negotiation through its distinct degree and certificate programs.
Devoted to advancing interdisciplinary scholarship in legal, moral and political philosophy, the center is a partner in the peer-reviewed, online Journal of Ethics & Social Philosophy. A joint project of USC Gould and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the center also holds conferences, workshops and other activities that enhance the study of law and philosophy.
The center leverages USC's excellence in legal scholarship and across the social sciences — spanning economics, political science, psychology, sociology and other fields — to develop sound policies for a fairer society and more productive economy. The center coordinates a wide variety of scholarly work and events promoting cross-disciplinary communication of ideas and practices to achieve these goals.
The center brings together faculty from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and USC Gould to encourage the study of law as an historical and cultural institution. In addition to supporting emerging scholars, the center sponsors activities including faculty workshops, book talks, seminars and conferences.
The center provides a scholarly home for debate on what can and should be demanded of global businesses, which face regulation by numerous and varied legal regimes. It facilitates expanded interdisciplinary collaboration, teaching and research, and brings together leading academics, practitioners and policymakers from across the country and around the world. The center produces scholarly research and policy proposals on transnational business activity and regulation; facilitates discussion among thought leaders by convening conferences and policy forums; and trains a new generation of attorneys and policymakers for leadership in the field.
The nonpartisan institute focuses on the two most important processes of direct democracy: initiatives and referenda. The institute is a preeminent resource for information about these procedures, producing updated guides of how they function in each state. Continually working to educate the public about direct democracy, the institute is frequently relied on by media outlets from ABC News and NPR to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
The Saks Institute fosters interdisciplinary, collaborative research among scholars and policymakers into issues of mental illness and mental health. Studies explore the intersections of law, mental health and ethics to influence public policy and advocate for improved treatment of people with mental illness.
