School of Law Team Takes Third Place in Negotiations Nationals

Photo Submitted

Law students Cody Kees and Tori Adams with their national and regional negotation competition trophies.

University of Arkansas School of Law students Victoria “Tori” Adams and Cody Kees took third place overall in the American Bar Association Negotiation National Competition in Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Adams and Kees won the Region 8 competition, held last fall at the School of Law, to qualify for the national competition. In the first and second rounds of the national competition, Team Arkansas prevailed against William Mitchell and California-Hastings, respectively, to advance to the semifinals on Saturday morning against George Mason University. In the semifinals Adams and Kees outscored George Mason University and the top-seeded team in the semifinals, Loyola-Chicago, to advance to the finals early Saturday afternoon against Fordham. The other two finalists, Texas Wesleyan and Willamette, followed in the later afternoon round. In the final rankings Texas Wesleyan finished first, Willamette second and Arkansas third.

The team was coached by School of Law professors Carl Circo and Tim Tarvin, and received additional preparation by professor Sharon Foster. In addition to its successful recent performance in the negotiations competition, the School of Law also won the 2010 National Moot Court Championship.

“We are very proud of Tori and Cody and are indebted to Professors Circo, Foster and Tarvin for their excellent mentoring in preparing the team,” said Cynthia Nance, dean of the School of Law. “That the School of Law continues to excel in national competitions is a testament to the caliber of both our outstanding faculty and talented students.”