2024 ABA Competitions Champion: Texas Tech University School of Law and St. Mary's University School of Law

The American Bar Association (ABA) has named Texas Tech University School of Law and St. Mary’s University School of Law the 2023-2024 ABA Competitions Co-Champions!

Congratulations Texas Tech University School of Law and St. Mary’s University School of Law!

The Competitions Champion is won by the school that earns the most points from competing in all four ABA Law Student Division competitions combined. This means that teams had to do well in the Arbitration Competition, Negotiation Competition, Client Counseling Competition, Representation in Mediation Competition, and National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC Moot Court). Ranking criteria and the point totals for the top teams can be found here.

“Our competitions offer students an amazing opportunity to hone essential lawyering skills before they enter practice. Through consistent participation and success in ABA competitions, these law schools display especially well-rounded practical skills training programs. We are thrilled to recognize these schools through the Competitions Championship,” said Connie S. Smothermon, Competitions Committee Co-Chair.

This year, St. Mary’s became the first school in history to claim regional titles in all five competitions in the same year. Their teams earned spots at all five competitions’ Nationals—including one National Championship, three Regional Championships, two Regional Finalists and one Regional Semifinalist. Texas Tech became the first to claim national championships at all five competitions (NAAC-’84, ’94, ’98, ’13, ’21; Arbitration-’08, ’10, ’12, ’14, ’17, ’20; Negotiation-’92, ’97, ’19; Client Counseling-’87; Mediation-’24).

Texas Tech fielded eleven teams across the competitions and earned the following honors:

Arbitration:

• The team of Alexandra Blair, Bailey King, Caroline Smith, and Cassidy Terrazas finished as Regional Champions.
• The team of Areesha Hemani, Vanessa Jones, Maycee Redfearn, and Teresa Winegeart finished as Regional Finalists

Negotiation:

• The team of Riley Caraway and Matthew Farago finished as Regional Co-Champions.
• The team of Guiliana Hays-Angelelli and Meagan Watson finished as Regional Co-Champions.

Representation in Mediation:

• Regional Co-Champion’s Caden Jackson and Caleb Kunde went on to finish as the 2023-2024 National Mediation Champions.

National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC):

• The Regional Champion team of Brooke Brewer, Barry Klein, and Megan Gower finished as National Quarterfinalists.
• The team of Richard Bailey, Caleb Kunde, and Joshua Mendez won Regional 2nd Place Best Brief.
• Megan Gower won Regional 2nd Place Best Advocate.  
• Megan Gower won National 2nd Best Advocate.

St. Mary’s fielded eleven teams across the competitions and earned the following honors:

Arbitration:

• The team of John Herbst, Samantha Gonzalez, Jerry Ritter, and Cara Hudson finished as Regional Finalist.
• The team of Jenna Croymans, Griffin Farney, Kenneth Garcia, and Kenya Barrios finished as Regional Semifinalist.

Negotiation:

• The team of Paige Hawkins and Scott Lopez finished as Regional Co-Champions.
• Duncan Farish and Holly Mendez finished as Regional Finalist.

Client Counseling:

• The Regional Champion team of Jacklyn Dhaemers, Maxwell Massey, and Delaney Montez finished as National Champions.

Representation in Mediation:

• Paige Hawkins and Scott Lopez finished as Regional Co-Champions.
• Duncan Farrish and Brooklyn Lancaster finished as Regional Finalists.

National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC):

• Emily Mann, Nadine Marshall Cox, and Mussarrat Rehman finished as Regional Champions.
• Carson Wienecke, Haley Entrop-Ozment, and London Delks won 3^rd Best Brief.
• Nadine Marshall Cox won Best Advocate.
• Carson Wienecke won 2^nd Best Advocate.  
• Haley Entrop-Ozment won 3^rd Best Advocate.
• Emily Mann won 8^th Best Advocate.

This year, more than 1,200 students from 292 law schools participated in one or more of the competitions sponsored by the Law Student Division. The Law Student Division sponsors five national practical skills competitions. Law students get a chance to hone the skills they will use as attorneys. ABA competitions teach law students real-world legal skills in a simulated practice environment. Judges for the competitions included volunteer attorneys and sitting members of the bench. 

About the rankings

The title of Competitions Champion is awarded annually to the law school that tallies the most points through team achievements and participation in the ABA Law Student Division’s five practical skills competitions.

The Competitions Champion award was created to recognize law schools that go above and beyond to help prepare their students for practice. Success in these competitions illustrate each school’s commitment to providing a well-rounded curriculum and preparing students to become highly skilled lawyers. We are proud that the ABA competitions are an important part of the hands-on learning experiences available to students at these exceptional law schools.

“Our competitions offer students an amazing opportunity to hone essential lawyering skills before they enter practice. Through consistent participation and success in ABA competitions, these law schools display especially well-rounded practical skills training programs. We are thrilled to recognize these schools through the Competitions Championship,” said Connie S. Smothermon, Competitions Committee Co-Chair, Director of Competitions & Externships, University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Judges for the competitions included volunteer attorneys and sitting members of the bench.

Registration for next year’s practical skills competitions will be open in August.