Negotiation Competition

Negotiation Competition 2024-2025

Negotiation skills are in great demand, and the American Bar Association sponsors a national competition to develop these skills in law students. In the law school’s intermural competition, two teams of two students each participate in a simulated negotiation session based on a hypothetical fact pattern. A panel of judges scores the teams, and winners go on to compete on regional and national levels.

This year’s topic at the Regional competition will be announced here once the ABA reveals it. All JD students are eligible to participate, but the competition will be capped at approximately 35-45 students. Priority will be given to 1Ls, then 2Ls, then 3Ls. Application timestamps will break a tie. (For example, if four slots remain for 2Ls, the 2Ls with the earliest timestamps will be selected.) The application is NOW OPEN (link below).

The Negotiation Competition is an excellent opportunity for students to gain on-the-ground practical experience in remote negotiation, a critical new skill given our current national landscape. We strongly encourage all students to apply. Please email lawcomp@bu.edu if you have any questions.

2024–2025 Board: Wyatt Hornstein, Victoria Lee, Jiaqi Zhou

Email: lawcomp@bu.edu

Important Information & Dates

Intramural Competition Information

Teams of two students each will negotiate opposite each other in a simulated negotiation session based on a hypothetical fact pattern. Teams will receive confidential client information, as well as shared facts, in advance of the competition. The Regional and National competitions follow the same format.

At least two teams will be selected to represent BU at the ABA Regional Client Counseling Competition. The top two teams from the Regional Competition will advance to the National Competition. All competition times are Eastern Standard Time.

Information + Training Session: Wednesday, September 18, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Room 410. (Directors will review rules and conduct a mini-workshop.)
Please RSVP here so we can get a headcount for food!
Session Recording Link

Application Deadline: Friday, September 20 at noon (apply here)

Preliminary Rounds: Thursday, September 26 (5:00-9:00 p.m.) and Friday, September 27 (1:00-5:00 p.m.). Students will be scheduled for a round during these times; conflicts will be taken into account.

Final Round: Wednesday, October 2 (5:00-9:00 p.m.)

Eligibility and Application

Application Due Date: TBA

BU Law’s Negotiation Competition will take place in late September. The time commitment to compete is minimal (approximately one hour for your preliminary round, and a few hours if selected to advance to BU’s intramural semi-final and final). If your team is one of the two teams selected to represent BU at Regionals, you will need to practice up to two hours per week during the weeks leading up to Regionals in November.

Reminder:  If you are selected to advance to the ABA Regional Competition, you are required to compete at the Regional competition in person, which will scheduled for late October or early November. The National Competition will be held in February.

The Application Form is available now! Click here to apply. If you experience trouble with the form, please email lawcomp@bu.edu. Slots will be set aside for teams from each class year. Please only fill out ONE application for each team of two. You may also sign up solo and we will pair you with another individual if available. The teams selected to compete will be notified as soon as possible. 

ABA Regional and National Competitions

Regional Competition: The ABA will notify us of the date in late September, but it will be one of these three weekends: 10/25-10/27, 11/1-11/3, or 11/8-11/10.

National Competition: January 31 – February 1, 2025