The Law Student Division annually sponsors four national competitions. These competitions offer participating students a forum to develop the very skills they will use as practitioners, and a chance to meet and network with fellow law students—future colleagues—from around the nation. Competitions also provide an excellent opportunity for law students to gain important resume-building experience and recognition.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT
All competitors must be ABA Law Student Division members in good standing (i.e. dues paid in full for the current bar year—September 1 to August 31—at the time their names and ABA numbers are submitted to the Law Student Division), except that students from Canadian LSAC-member schools may participate in the Negotiation and Client Counseling Competitions for an incremental fee.

JOIN THE ABA
To join the American Bar Association and begin enjoying the benefits of membership for only $25, you may call 800.285.2221 or sign up online. NOTE: Competitors who select the “Bill Me” option run the risk of disqualification if their Law Student dues payment is not received by the ABA prior to supplying their name and ABA member ID number to the Law Student Division for competition participation.

TEAM MEMBER NAME AND ABA ID NUMBER SUBMISSION
Schools must supply the Law Student Division with each team member's name and his or her ABA member identification number on or before the competition’s specified deadline (this is a strict liability deadline, there will be no exceptions). Canadian students are exempt from inputting the ABA member identification number.

ENTRY FEE PAYMENT
The entry form and fee for the school’s teams must arrive at the ABA on or before the competition’s specified entry deadline.

Co-sponsored by the National Arbitration Forum, this competition promotes excellence in arbitration advocacy. Entry forms and fees are due September 18, 2009. Team member names and ABA ID numbers are due October 25, 2009.

• Arbitration Competition Homepage
• 2009-2010 Entry Form
• 2009-2010 Competition Topic: Current Economic Crisis
• 2008-2009 Winners
• Questions? Contact us at ac@staff.abanet.org

The competition simulates legal negotiations in which law students, acting as lawyers, negotiate a series of legal problems. Entry forms and fees are due September 18, 2009. Team member names and ABA ID numbers are due October 15, 2009.

• Negotiation Competition Homepage
• 2009-2010 Entry Form
• 2009-10 Competition Topic: Labor and Employment Law
• 2008-2009 Winners
• Questions? Contact us at nc@staff.abanet.org

A competition promoting preventive law and counseling functions. Entry forms and fees are due October 23, 2009. Team member names and ABA ID numbers are due January 15, 2010.

• Client Counseling Competition Homepage
• 2009-2010 Entry Form
• 2009-2010 Competition Topic: White Collar Crime
• 2008-2009 Winners
• Questions? Contact us at ccc@staff.abanet.org

A traditional moot court competition focusing on written and oral advocacy skills. Entry forms and fees are due November 6, 2009. Team member names and ABA ID numbers are due December 1, 2009.

• NAAC Homepage
• 2009-2010 Entry Form
• 2009-2010 Competition Topic: Constitutional Law / Federal Preemption
• 2008-2009 Winners
• Questions? Contact us at naac@staff.abanet.org

Videos capturing entire national championship rounds including the judges' evaluations are available for purchase. Two different products are available for each competition – one containing only the video and the other containing the video plus the complete regional and national problems, including applicable confidential information. Use these videos to help your team prepare for the competition or as a demonstration of effective techniques. Tell me more about purchasing Law Student Division Competition Videos

• Arbitration Competition
• Client Counseling Competition
• National Appellate Advocacy Competition
• Negotiation Competition
  

The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) typically takes place the first or second weekend in March, August and November. The March and November dates can overlap some of the Law Student Division competition dates. Future 2009 dates are Friday, August 7 and Saturday, November 7. The 2010 dates will not be finalized until mid to late July 2009. Competitors who plan to take the MPRE should be aware of the potential for date conflicts in March and November.

• Negotiation Competition
• Arbitration Competition
• Client Counseling Competition
• NAAC
• Other Writing Contests and Scholarships
• Contact Us
• Return to Law Student Division Home