Celebrating and Elevating the Next Generation of Citizen Lawyers

April 20, 2024

Posted in : Notices from Members

March brings with it the promise of spring and the hint of a brighter future, so the timing of the William and May Law School Negotiation Tournament for the first weekend of the month was a perfect harbinger of good things to come. Each spring, the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Team hosts this tournament where law schools across the nation “practice their problem-solving and oral advocacy skills.”

The tournament resembles Moot Court or mock trial in that teams comprised of two students each assume the role of Associate Counselors for parties navigating a dispute. Fact patterns set the stage, statutes and ordinances define reasonable boundaries, and client perspectives define the narrative.

For Alternative Dispute Resolution, however, the goal is to avoid litigation proceedings and to settle amicably out of court. Teams must review the facts, find common ground, and attempt to reach a reasonable solution that meets the needs and expectations of both sides. Each round of negotiation is time-bound; and teams are judged against a rubric that emphasizes in-depth application of the facts, effective and professional engagement with the opposing team, and creative solution development.

Where Moot Court measures a budding attorney’s mastery of oratory and the rules of civil or criminal procedure, ADR provides the best lesson in establishing the relationships and ingenuity that both sustain and define a successful legal career.

As a returning judge at the tournament, I have the recurring privilege of seeing students of the law come together in search of a solution together as they hone their craft and practice the skills of their trade. Each year, I take joy in the creativity, civility, and professionalism of this next generation of attorneys. In 2024, congratulations are in order for the organizers of the tournament, to all 36 schools competing this year, and to the winning team from Tulane Law School.

- Anne Louise Mason, Virginia Associate Representative