UA LAW STUDENTS WIN CLIENT COUNSELING COMPETITION REGIONALS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —Two first-year University of Arkansas School of Law students placed first at the American Bar Association’s Regional Client Counseling Competition February 17 in Dallas, Texas.

Rachael Dockery of Fayetteville and Maurice Rigsby of Rosston competed against 11 teams in the competition, earning a victory that will take them, their coach and faculty advisor, professor Mary Beth Matthews, to the national finals in Sacramento, Calif. March 9-11.

"I am both pleased and proud to have two such fine students and future attorneys represent the University of Arkansas School of Law in this important national competition," said Robert B. Moberly, dean of the UA School of Law.

During spring semester, all law students have the opportunity to participate in the American Bar Association’s Client Counseling Competition. Winners of Arkansas’ intramural competition represent the law school in the regional competition.

The competition simulates a law office consultation, where teams of two law students interview an actor playing the role of the client. The teams receive very general and incomplete information about the client and the client's situation, using the client interview to provide preliminary legal advice.

The standards for judging the individual teams are based on an established set of criteria. The judges consist of two practicing attorneys and one counselor or person who has counseling experience and who is not an attorney. Each year, the competition has a general topic involved in all of the consultation situations.

According to the American Bar Association, the competition's purpose is to promote greater knowledge and interest among law students in the client counseling functions of law practice and seeks to encourage students to develop interviewing, planning, and analytical skills in the lawyer-client relationship in the law office.