Elisabeth Haub School of Law student speaking into a microphone in front of a class of students.
Advocacy Program

ADR/Counseling Competitions

Learn the Art of Negotiation and Client Counseling

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s nationally recognized trial skills program interfaces with the traditional curriculum allowing students an opportunity for simulated learning skills sessions. The program features introductory, as well as advanced learning in the art of client counseling.

Our student teams participate in many external client counseling competitions throughout the year, such as those listed below. Client Counseling competitions addresses fundamental skills necessary for all successful attorneys, namely the ability to interview, counsel, and support a client through their legal issue. Competitors conduct an initial interview with a person playing the role of the client and then address both the client’s legal and non-legal needs.

  • The ABA Law Student Division Arbitration Competition promotes greater knowledge in arbitration by simulating a realistic arbitration hearing. Participants prepare and present an arbitration case, including opening statements, witness examinations, exhibit introductions, evidentiary presentations, and summations. Experience what it is to be a professional, competent, and ethical advocate.

  • The Client Counseling Competition is designed to promote knowledge of and interest in the preventive law and counseling functions of legal practice. The competition emphasizes the development of interviewing, planning, and analytical skills within the context of the lawyer–client relationship in a law office setting.

  • The ABA Law Student Division’s Negotiation Competition provides an educational forum for the development of practical negotiation skills relevant to legal practice. The competition facilitates interaction among law students from across the nation and offers participants opportunities for professional experience and recognition. It engages students in simulated legal negotiations involving a series of legal problems, with contest simulations based on a shared set of facts and confidential information specific to each negotiating side.

  • The American Bar Association Representation in Mediation Competition introduces law student participants to the challenges of representing clients in mediation.

    Participants are evaluated on use of an effective combination of (i) advocacy and (ii) problem-solving. Advocacy in mediation means that lawyers should advocate for their client’s interests with the mediator. Participants balance their clients’ interests with the goal of achieving an effective settlement.

  • The Athlete Endorsement Negotiation Competition provides law students the opportunity to negotiate athlete endorsement agreements by representing a professional athlete or major brand.

    Hosted in the spring by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Honor Society and Brooklyn Entertainment and Sports Law Society on Brooklyn Law School's campus, the competition allows students to practice their negotiation skills in sports law and management,

  • The Cardozo Invitational Negotiation on Entertainment, Media and Art (CINEMA) Competition simulates intellectual property and entertainment law negotiations in which law students manage a series of legal problems relating to real-life scenarios. The simulations are focused on the same general topic, but the negotiation situation varies with each round and level of the competition. JAMS neutral Hon. Robert B. Kugler (Ret.) will preside as a judge for the Final Round of the Competition.

  • The Fordham National Basketball Negotiation Competition (“NBNC”) simulates NBA negotiations in which participants manage a series of legal problems relating to real-life scenarios. All of the simulations are focused on the same general topic, but the negotiation situation varies with each round and level of the competition. Teams of two competitors will represent each party and participants are scored exclusively on their oral argument performance.

  • The National College Athletics Infractions Hearing Competition is an online competition that closely simulates the formal hearing process utilized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Committee on Infractions (COl) to adjudicate allegations of major rules violations.

  • The Soccer Dispute Competition focuses on the biggest and fastest growing sport in the world, the professional soccer industry. Competitors from law schools around the country engage in a mock, soccer-related negotiation that mirrors real-life scenarios like player contracts, endorsement, ownership, and stadium construction.

  • The New York State Bar Association's Annual Mediation Tournament is unique in that it enables three-member teams of law students to develop and display both advanced mediation and advocacy skills while participating as mediators, advocates, and in-house client representatives. The event is judged by a respected group of experienced mediators and practitioners and the final rounds will be judged by New York State and Federal judges. The Final Round of Judges will be announced. A variety of cash prizes are awarded to the winning team and mediator, as well as an award for best mediation statement.

  • The Transatlantic Negotiation Competition offers law students from around the world a unique opportunity to sharpen their negotiation and communication skills in a transnational context, with a strong focus on cross-cultural collaboration. In each round, a U.S. team and an international team face off to resolve realistic scenarios based on common international business, trade, and political disputes—unbound by any one nation’s laws.

    Each simulation includes shared facts and confidential details specific to each side, encouraging strategic thinking and collaboration. Teams may include up to four members, with two competing per round, and panels of three judges—always including at least one from the U.S. or Europe—evaluate their performance. Finalists and semifinalists receive trophies, with special awards recognizing the best advocate, most creative solution, and best teamwork.

  • The Tulane International Baseball Arbitration Competition, run by members of the Tulane Sports Law Society, is a simulated salary arbitration competition modeled closely on the procedures used by Major League Baseball (MLB). Like most law school moot court competitions, TIBAC’s main goal is to provide participants with the opportunity to sharpen their oral and written advocacy skills. However, the competition is unique in that it allows law students to sharpen these skills within the specialized context of MLB's salary arbitration proceedings. The competition is held annually in the early part of the spring academic semester at Tulane University Law School. Additionally, Tulane’s Sports Law Society hosts a panel of experts to discuss legal issues related to baseball.

  • The Villanova Baseball Filing Day Competition is a simulated exercise intended to mimic negotiations between MLB Players Association (MLBPA) player agents and MLB club executives before the salary arbitration Exchange Date between the MLB Labor Relations Department and the MLBPA as governed by Major League Baseball's Basic Agreement. Participants will be able to build oral advocacy and negotiation skills while handling baseball statistics and player valuation information in order to come to resolution with opposing counsel. Winners will be selected by judges from the baseball industry including player agents, team officials, and attorneys working in the space.

  • The Villanova Football Negotiation Competition is a simulated, live negotiation where teams are able to create deals for NFL extension-eligible players.

    Teams consist of 2-3 students, who will be able to build oral advocacy and negotiation skills while handling football statistics and player valuation information in order to come to a resolution with opposing counsel. Winners will be selected by judges from the football industry, including player agents, team officials, and attorneys working in the space.

  • The Villanova Hockey Negotiation Competition is a simulated exercise intended to mimic negotiations that commonly occur throughout the sports industry, ranging from front office partnerships to player-focused advocacy. Participants’ oral advocacy and negotiation skills will be challenged in a series of prompts that will range from host-city to stadium naming rights negotiations.

    Winners will be selected by judges from the hockey industry, including player agents, team officials, and attorneys regularly working in the space.