Update 2/23/15: The mediation competition at WVU Law was won by the College of William & Mary’s Parisa Tabissian and Eva Zelson, who advance to the national finals. The runner-up (2nd place) team was WVU Law’s Brandon Cole and Donald Kersey.
MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA—The West Virginia University College of Law is hosting the American Bar Association (ABA) regional mediation competition on Saturday, February 21, and Sunday, February 22.
The 16th annual competition will feature teams from eight law schools: WVU, American University, Georgetown University, Hoftra University, Regent University, the University of Richmond, the College of William and Mary, and Washington and Lee University.
Sponsored by the ABA’s Section of Dispute Resolution, the competition gives law students the opportunity to practice important mediation skills. Professional mediation is frequently an alternative to litigation in resolving legal disputes.
WVU is being represented by two mediation teams: Ashley Reynolds/Liz Stryker and Brandon Cole/ Donald Kersey. Andrew Waight and Wes Prince are alternate team members. Anthony Nortz is theWVU competition chair, and Thomas Patrick, professor of law, is the team coach.
Lawyers from throughout the region will serve as judges for the mediation competition. The winning team advances to the national finals at the ABA dispute resolution conference in April in Seattle, Washington.
WVU Law was chosen to host this year’s mediation competition because it won the regionals and advanced to the national rounds in 2013.
“Our school and our state have a strong mediation tradition,” said Martin Kuntz, president of WVU’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Society.
The ADR Society is a WVU Law student organization that provides opportunities to learn from practitioners and to participate in mediation training and competitions. ADR is also instrumental in organizing and volunteering for the West Virginia Magistrate Court mediation program.
-WVU-
kc 02/18/2015
