Jamie SaintPaul is former fellow of the Center on Dispute Resolution (CDR), who graduated from Quinnipiac School of Law with her Juris Doctor, with a concentration in civil advocacy and dispute resolution, in May 2020. Jamie is now a clinical fellow at the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program where she has served in her role since August 2023.
Jamie’s initial exposure to dispute resolution grew out of mediating in her own household. Growing up as the oldest of five siblings, Jamie often found herself playing the mediator in many situations with her siblings. Jamie was introduced more formally to the world of dispute resolution during her time as an undergraduate student at Quinnipiac University where she took a course in mediation. As she transitioned to law school, Jamie began diving into alternative dispute resolution courses that Quinnipiac offered. Jamie then partnered with the CDR’s Co-Director Charlie Pillsbury and Professor Brendan Holt to bring back the Quinnipiac Homelessness Mitigation Mediation Project.
In this role, Jamie helped to facilitate mediations to resolve housing disputes. Upon graduation from law school, Jamie worked with the Connecticut Judicial Branch as a housing mediator, then transitioned to Liberty Mutual Insurance. Finally, after building upon the alternative dispute resolution skills she acquired in law school, Jamie began a new role as a clinical fellow at the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program.
For Jamie, there isn’t a “typical” day at the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program. As a clinical fellow, Jamie meets and supervises various student organizations on campus with alternative dispute resolution-related projects. Jamie plays a large role in figuring out what, in regards to alternative dispute resolution, is going to be most beneficial for students at Harvard Law. Jamie supports the clinical program in any capacity and supports all new initiatives. Jamie also helps when the clinical program is conducting different dispute resolution training. Jamie’s favorite aspect of her role as a clinical fellow is learning from her co-workers as they have such varied experience in the field of ADR.
Jamie’s past experience as a CDR Fellow set her up for the position she is in now. Her hands-on experience in the fruition of the Quinnipiac Homelessness Mitigation Mediation Project coupled with the up and down nature of the creation of such a project helped to set the stage for everything that has happened in Jamie’s career. Jamie credits Quinnipiac Law’s focus on the “whole lawyer” in creating actual lawyers rather than theoretical lawyering. She thanks Quinnipiac Law for ensuring that students are receiving meaningful experience in the alternative dispute resolution space while they are still in law school.
Jamie was drawn to dispute resolution because she believes in the difference dispute resolution can make in the lives of clients who might otherwise not be afforded the opportunity. Jamie notes that alternative dispute resolution is instrumental in giving power back to individuals who haven’t been able to access the legal system. Mediation is part of the legal process that is open and available to everyone, regardless if an individual has an attorney or not. Jamie believes that ADR is a very practical area of the law where attorneys can acquire skills that not only apply to their professional careers, but rather seep into every other part of an individual’s personal life. If there is anything the field of alternative dispute resolution can do better, Jamie notes that there should be more space made for younger professionals to step foot into a career in the field.
As to young lawyers who are looking into the field of dispute resolution, Jamie stresses the importance of networking. Opportunities are out there! Take advantage of all experiences that you can get to help build your resume and set you apart from other applicants. ADR instruction from your law school plus any practical practice will be vital in any career.
We would like to thank Jamie for taking the time to talk with us and wish her the best of luck in her career!
