As he devotes his talents to solving the row between director Woody Allen and actor Mia Farrow, Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz once again finds himself in the thick of a New York tabloid frenzy.

Dershowitz said in an interview yesterday that the escalating feud between his client, Farrow, and her estranged lover, Allen, is "a human tragedy" that "could've been avoided."

Farrow called Dershowitz more than a week ago, asking him to play a "mediation role" in the custody suit involving the Farrow-Allen children, he said. Dershowitz said that he and Farrow intended to avoid litigation, but that negotiations have become more and more difficult in the past week.

On Monday Allen revealed that he was romantically involved with Farrow's adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Her precise age is unknown, but Farrow's spokesperson, John Springer, has said that she is between 17 and 21 years old.

Allen said Tuesday that Farrow had unfairly accused him of molesting his two youngest children. The accusation, Allen said, was a ploy Farrow was using to keep custody of them. Dershowitz said the recent disclosures have made it "very hard to negotiate."

"I'm just interested in doing what's best for the children," said Dershowitz, who has represented celebrities such as Claus Von Bulow, Michael Tyson and Leona Helmsley. "It needn't become a focus of public concern," he said. But now that Allen has met with the press to "pre-empt the action," said Dershowitz, "everybody is suffering."

Dershowitz said that a situation in which a 56 year old man was having sex with the daughter of his longtime 46 year old companion was very "upsetting." And although it might be an acceptable story for film, he said, "life should not limitate art."

Dershowitz said that Allen is an acquaintance, and that he'd always had "tremendous admiration" for the film director, comedian, actor and screenwriter. film director, comedian, actor andscreenwriter.

"Woody Allen has always been a hero of mine,"Dershowitz said. "I still think he is one of thegreat filmmakers of all time," he said