The ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition promotes greater interest among law students in legal negotiation and provides a means for them to practice and improve their negotiating skills. The competition simulates legal negotiations in which law students, acting as lawyers, negotiate a series of legal problems. The simulations consist of 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.

Being proficient in negotiation is an important skill-set for all lawyers no matter what area of practice you pursue. Quality representation of clients requires that one be able to negotiate contracts, settlements, and other agreements while working in the field. The ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition helps students build these essential skills by providing students a forum to negotiate under time constraints and in an area of law with which they may not be familiar. Under competition circumstances those who thrive typically excel at showcasing effective communication and the ability to quickly assess the interests of their client and adversary. True to real life, teams will find that through each round of competition no two negotiations are alike.

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—by October 15, 2009), except that students from Canadian LSAC-member schools may participate 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 the ABA does not receive their Law Student dues by October 15, 2009.

COMPETITOR NAME AND ABA ID NUMBER DEADLINE
Using an online form provided for this purpose, schools must supply the Law Student Division with each team member's name and his or her ABA member identification number on or before October 15, 2009. This deadline will be strictly enforced.  No exceptions will be granted.  

2009-2010 COMPETITION TOPIC
Labor and Employment Law

TEAM COMPOSITION AND COMPETITION FORMAT
A team consists of two JD candidates attending the same ABA-approved law school (or Canadian LSAC-member law school) negotiating on behalf of their client to resolve a dispute or negotiate an agreement.

The regional competition consists of two qualifying rounds with each team negotiating directly against one other team and indirectly against two other teams.  After the qualifying rounds, the top four teams advance to the final round.

The first place team from each regional competition will advance to the National Finals. Additional invitations will be extended to create a multiple of four.

ENTRY FEES / REGIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
The entry fee for the school’s first team is $325* and the fee for each additional team is $300.* A school may enter one or two teams and, if space is available, schools may enter a third team. The competition rules require a multiple of four teams compete in each regional competition. Payment for the school’s first and second team, if applicable, must arrive at the ABA by September 18, 2009. Schools will be notified about 10 days after the entry deadline whether they may send a third team to the regional competition—at the time the school receives its regional assignment. Payment for the additional team must arrive at the ABA within two weeks of notification.

*Canadian LSAC-member law schools must pay an incremental fee of $50 per team.

COMPETITION VIDEOS / PAST COMPETITION PROBLEMS
Videos capturing entire national championship rounds including the judges' evaluations are available for purchase. Two different products are available—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

COMPETITION RULES
The competition rules and host school administrative guidelines / instructions are posted to the Competitors Page, which is a members-only page. Upon registration and payment of the entry fee, the URL for the Competitors Page is sent to the team contact and faculty adviser. If your school has entered the competition and paid the entry fee, please ask your school’s team contact and faculty adviser to provide you with the URL.

If you have specific questions about the competition rules, please contact the Law Student Division.

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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. Competitors who plan to take the MPRE should be aware of the potential for date conflicts in March and November. MPRE dates for 2010 are: March 6, August 6, and November 6.

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), individuals traveling between U.S. and Canada, whether by land, see or air, may be required to present a passport or other approved travel document when crossing the border. This requirement primarily affects teams competing in Regions 1, 6 and 10.

• U.S. Passport Information
• Canadian Passport Information

The highest ranking U.S. and Canadian teams from the ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition are invited to compete at the International Negotiation Competition, which usually takes place in July and is frequently held overseas. Competitors who expect to win the ABA Law Student Division National Competition are encouraged to have up-to-date passports.

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