ABA Negotiation Competition

On November 7 and 8, 2009, the University of Idaho College of Law will have the honor of hosting the American Bar Association’s Law Student Regional Negotiation Competition at the Water Center in Boise.  We are allowed to host this event only once every ten or twelve years, making this a rare opportunity to showcase the quality of Idaho’s bench, bar, and alternative dispute resolution programs and practice.

The competition will involve teams from the following 15 law schools throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and nearby Canadian provinces:

Gonzaga University School of Law, Lewis & Clark Law School, Santa Clara University School of Law, Seattle University School of Law, University of Alberta Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Faculty of Law, University of Calgary Faculty of Law, University of California - Berkeley School of Law ( Boalt Hall), University of California, Davis School of Law (King Hall), University of Idaho College of Law, University of Montana School of Law, University of Oregon School of Law, University of Saskatchewan College of Law, University of Victoria Faculty of Law, and Willamette University College of Law.

The ABA Law Student Division's Negotiation Competition simulates legal negotiations in which law students, acting as lawyers and operating in teams of two, negotiate opposing interests in a series of legal problems.  The simulations consist of both a common set of facts known by all participants and confidential information known only to the participants representing a particular side.  All of the simulations deal with the same general topic, but the negotiation situation varies with each round and level of the competition.  This competition provides students with a unique opportunity to develop practical skills that will enable them to become proficient attorneys.   The teams receiving the highest scores on Saturday, November 7, will advance to the final round on Sunday, November 8.  The winning team will advance to the national competition.

Approximately fifty local attorneys, judges and Certified Professional Mediators will volunteer to judge the competition. The judges will work on three-judge panels and grade participants based upon their legal analysis, poise, creativity, communication, and negotiation skills.  Judges not only grade the competitors, but also use this as an opportunity to teach students effective negotiation skills and provide students with constructive criticism.  It is an excellent opportunity for members of the Idaho Bar to actively instruct and participate in the development of the next generation of lawyers.