In February 2008, PhoenixLaw students participated for the first time in the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution’s “Representation in Mediation” Competition. In this national competition, law students play the role of attorneys representing clients in a mediation setting. The competition measures how well law students model appropriate advocacy and problem-solving skills when representing clients in a mediation.

PhoenixLaw hosted the Region 8 competition, and its two participating teams finished by ranking second and fourth. Ten teams from 5 law schools (PhoenixLaw, Arizona State University, Pepperdine, University of Utah, and Cal Western) competed at PhoenixLaw during the two-day competition period, and approximately 40 members of the community (including some PhoenixLaw faculty) served as volunteer mediators and judges for the competition.

Two PhoenixLaw teams also participated in the regionals of this competition in March 2009 held at the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Academic Dean Ann Woodley (a former national Chair of the competition and previous faculty coach at another law school) organized and ran the Spring 2008 regional competition with the assistance of PhoenixLaw staff and professors, and coached the PhoenixLaw teams both years, along with the help of Professors Gonzales, Pierce, and several others.

PhoenixLaw also will be hosting the regionals of this competition in spring 2010.