November 16, 2011

Cooley Law School Students Excel in Negotiation Competition

Two teams of Cooley Law School students advanced to the final rounds at the recent American Bar Association Regional Negotiation Competition in Ottawa, Canada.

The team of Adria Vittitow and Channing Franklin took first place in the competition's semi-final round Saturday, Nov. 12, while the team of Shannon DeWall and Amanda Demitrish took second place, advancing both teams to the final round. Vittitow and Franklin attend class at Cooley's Lansing campus, while Demitrish and DeWall attend class at Cooley's Auburn Hills campus. Alternate team members Sueann Mitchell and Phil Reed, who attend class at Cooley's Grand Rapids campus, assisted in coaching the teams to their victories.

L to R Amanda Demitrish, Channing Franklin, Adria Vittitow, Sueann Mitchell, Phil Reed, and (seated) Shannon DeWall.

Cooley competed against teams from the MSU College of Law, Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, Southwestern Law School, Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law, the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, and Valparaiso University School of Law.

In the final round on Sunday, Nov. 13, Cooley's team of DeWall and Demitrish came in second place, missing the top spot by only two points, while the team of Vittitow and Franklin came in third place, missing first place by only five points. The team fielded by Ohio State landed in first place in the four-team final round. Of the six rounds in the competition, Cooley's teams won five rounds.

Cooley Law School Professor Nancy Wonch coached the teams and said Cooley's students received some very favorable feedback.

"The competition judges remarked on how professional, civil, ethical, and knowledgeable our teams were about the subject matter (real estate and torts) and how skilled we were in negotiating," she said.

Cooley faculty members Dan Stauffer and Dustin Foster, helped coach the teams in Grand Rapids and Auburn Hills, respectively; and Professor Anthony Flores helped in critiquing. Cooley’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Board and Assistant Dean Christine Church were also thanked for their support, as were the professors, lawyers, and staff members who judged intra-school and finals competitions at the various campuses as part of the competition process. "This was truly a team effort and the Cooley reputation was enhanced as the result," Wonch said.

About Thomas M. Cooley Law School:
Thomas M. Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the nation. Founded in 1972, the private, nonprofit law school operates its Juris Doctor program, Joint Degree programs, and Master of Laws programs across Michigan in Lansing, Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Cooley recently announced a new Tampa Bay, Florida-area campus, with courses beginning in May 2012.  Cooley has more than 15,000 graduates across the nation and worldwide and offers enrollment three times a year in January, May and September. Cooley is an independent law school, accredited by the American Bar Association and the Higher Learning Commission. Additional information can be found at cooley.edu.and the Higher Learning Commission. Additional information can be found at cooley.edu.