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Student Negotiations Competition

In today’s law practice, almost all civil cases settle before trial. Negotiation skills are essential. In this unique one day competition open to all California law students, two-person teams from California law schools will negotiate a simulated environmental dispute, judged by environmental lawyers, judges and professional mediators

2012 Student Negotiations Competition

The 13th Annual Student Negotiations Competition

Friday, March 23, 2012
9 am to 5 pm
UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles

First Prize: $1000, Second Prize: $500

Registration Deadline: January 20, 2012

One Entry Per Law School. Check with your school’s academic dean about the selection process for your school.

For more information, please contact Julie Martinez.

Eligibility

The competition is open to students in all California law schools who have completed their first year of law school. Each law school may enter one team and nominate one alternate team. Teams consist of two students from the same law school. For the year 2012 competition, the competition is limited to 20 teams. If more than 20 schools enter teams, the State Bar will select the entrants by lottery. If fewer than 20 schools enter teams, more than one team per school may participate. The State Bar will select additional teams from the list of alternates by lottery. Check with your Law School Dean or faculty contact about the selection process for your school.

Format

Each team will be e-mailed a copy of the Statement of Facts, the team’s Confidential Negotiating Instructions, and the Competition Rules on January 30, 2012. Each team will participate in two 60 minute preliminary rounds. After a lunch break, four teams will advance to the final round. The advancing teams will receive additional Confidential Instructions prior to the final round.

Prizes

The winning team will receive a cash prize of $1,000; the second place team, $500. Both the first and second place teams will receive recognition in the State Bar of California’s Environmental Law Section Newsletter.

All students entered in the competition will receive one year’s complimentary membership in the Environmental Law Section. Any other student wishing to join the Section may request a complimentary membership by contacting Julie Martinez.

Registration Information

Each law school must pay a registration fee of $225. Your registration must be received no later than Friday, January 20, 2012. Register by e-mail to julie.martinez@calbar.ca.gov or by fax to 415 538-2368. Visa/Mastercard ONLY. Credit card information is mandatory for faxed registration. Please do not mail your completed form.

Cancellation / Refund Policy

Cancellations and requests for refunds must be received (not postmarked) in writing no later than Friday, January 20, 2012. No refunds will be made for cancellations after January 20, 2012.

Scoring

Students will be judged by a panel of environmental lawyers, judges and professional mediators. Scoring criteria include preparation, execution of strategy, teamwork, outcome, oral presentation, and ethics.

Training Matierials

Participating students will be provided with a packet of training materials about environmental negotiations.

Rules

Please see the 2012 Rules. Please note that the 2012 student negotiations competition rules contain some significant changes from previous years. These changes are highlighted in bold and include, among others, limits on outside materials allowed in the competition and on the number of observers each team can have in each round.

Mentoring

We recommend that teams work with faculty members at their schools who specialize in environmental law and/or alternative dispute resolution. Teams that would also like a volunteer attorney mentor should e-mail Julie Martinez on or before January 20, 2012 requesting a mentor. The Bar cannot promise that it will be able to assign volunteer mentors to each requesting team.

Registration

Schools can register by using the 2012 Student Negotiations Competition Registration Form.