Carrie Sperling

An article by Carrie Sperling, associate clinical professor at the College of Law, entitled “Priming Legal Negotiations Through Written Demands,” made Top Ten download lists on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN).

The article was listed on the SSRN’s list for LSN: Law Firms/Legal Practice (Topic), LSN: Legal Education (Topic) and Law & Rhetoric eJournal.

From its abstract: “Lawyers frequently start negotiations with a written demand. But legal scholars have not, until now, considered the demand letter part of the negotiation process.

“This article draws upon research in social psychology to demonstrate that demand letters deserve more attention and study. The words lawyers use to convey their demands can have powerful, lasting effects on the course and nature of negotiations because they almost certainly frame the issues, anchor a recipient’s perceptions, and prime the recipient’s goals and behaviors.”

To read the article, click here.