CHICAGO, May 16, 2019 — The American Bar Association has named Texas Tech University School of Law the 2018-19 ABA Competitions Champion.
The Competitions Champion is won by the school who 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 and National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC Moot Court). Ranking criteria and the point totals for the top teams can be found here.
“Our four 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, cirector of Competitions & Externships, University of Oklahoma College of Law.
Tech fielded 10 teams across four competitions and advanced to the national finals in the Arbitration and Negotiation Competitions. Both competitions were held at the ABA headquarters in Chicago and theseTexas competitors toughed through negative temperatures to achieve success. Taylor Calvert won the National Negotiation Competition on Saturday, Feb. 9, negotiating this year’s topic, employment law. Tech’s Arbitration Competition team John Haugen, Johnathan Young, Darrian Matthews and Sara Jaeckle finished as National Semifinalists on Saturday, Jan. 26. This year’s Arbitration Competition topic was personal injury law.
“Texas Tech Law is a school passionately devoted to students and to skills training. Our advocacy program, under the amazing leadership of Professor Robert Sherwin, succeeds because of the hard work, talent and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. I am so proud of our community and so pleased to see our program recognized in this way.” added Jack Wade Nowlin, dean of Texas Tech University School of Law.
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. This year, more than 1,300 students from 154 law schools participated in one or more of the competitions sponsored by the Law Student Division.
Top 10 ABA Competition Law Schools by Points
1. Texas Tech University School of Law
2. Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
3. Liberty University School of Law
4. Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law
5 (tie). Chapman University School of Law
5 (tie). St. Mary’s University School of Law
5 (tie). University of Houston Law Center
8 (tie). Georgetown University Law Center
8 (tie). University of Akron School of Law
10. Texas A&M University School of Law
For more information on the ABA Law Student Division and the competitions, visit abaforlawstudents.com/.
With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. View our privacy statement on line. Follow the latest ABA news at www.ambar.org/news and on Twitter @ABANews.