Events and Competitions

To promote ethical, assertive and empathetic advocacy skills, the Dispute Resolution Program frequently hosts events for students and professionals. These events increase understanding of dispute resolution theory and practice and give students opportunities to network.

The program also supports several competition teams, which have enjoyed tremendous success in recent years, including international championships and first place individual student awards in mediation and arbitration.

Events

• The International Academy of Dispute Resolution (INADR) International Law School Mediation Tournament is co-sponsored by Loyola every other year. In March2020, 350 mediators, arbitrators, judges, coaches, and students from around the world will gather at Loyola to learn from each other and practice mediation and mediation advocacy skills across cultures
• The Loyola Pre-Moot for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration, where students practice against other teams in preparation for their competitions in Vienna and Hong Kong.
• Special events such as the Mindfulness in Law Society National Conference. Mindfulness has become recognized as an important skill for mediators as well as attorneys.
• Conferences and training on dispute resolution topics, including well-known speakers in the field of dispute resolution. Recent speakers include Kenneth Cloke, Sheila Heen, Randy Kiser, Ellen Langer and former Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn.

Competitions

Student competitions are a great way to gain lifelong skills and lifelong friends.

• ABA Negotiation Competition Team: You and your partner perfect your negotiation skills by acting as lawyers and negotiating with another team to reach a deal on a series of legal problems. In past years our team has advanced to nationals and been invited to a selective international competition.
• INADR International Law School Mediation Tournament: On the mediation team you and your teammates take turns in each role as you mediate the case or advocate as attorney and client negotiating across the mediation table to resolve disputes with teams from around the globe. Taking Mediation Advocacyor other mediation courses is suggested, but not required to be on the team. Loyola traditionally excels in the tournament, consistently making semi-finals and receiving individual mediator awards.  The team took home trophies for International Champion out of 52 teams in 2016, and First Place Individual Mediator out of 156 competitors in 2018. We have traveled to Athens, London, Dublin, and Glasgow..
• Willem C. Vis International Moot Arbitration Competition: You and your teammate act as co-counsel and present an argument before a panel of international arbitrators on a problem involving an international agreement on the sale of goods. Loyola’s teams travel to the Hong Kong and Vienna moots, with practice competitions along the way. To try out for the team you must take the International Commercial Arbitration and the CISG course in the fall semester.
  Loyola has an impressive record of success at both competitions, and took first place in Hong Kong in 2014 out of more than 90 teams.
• ABA Client Counseling Team: A great way to develop your client skills to build a successful practice. You and your partner interview and counsel a “client” (played by a professional actor) on a legal problem. Loyola’s teams have repeatedly been named regional finalists.