FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas School of Law students Isabel Thoma, Erin James and Julian Sharp won the 2020 Transactional LawMeet hosted by the University of Denver Sturm College of Law on April 3. 

The students negotiated the acquisition of a business by a private equity firm, and an overall winner was chosen from each side of the transaction. The U of A team prevailed with their representation of Squirrel Hill Capital Partners against Fourth Wheel, Inc. 

"To do well in this type of competition, you have to make it a point to work collaboratively with the other team and to explain business and legal issues from your client's viewpoint," said Andrew Lawson, visiting professor of law and the team's coach. "Our team did a great job on both fronts, which is especially impressive given that the competition unexpectedly changed from an in-person format to an online format using Zoom. It was really impressive to see our students still excel even when forced to adapt on the fly."

The competition began in late January, with students drafting letters of intent, interviewing their clients and marking up opposing teams' drafts. The competition was intended to culminate with in-person negotiations on April 3. The competition was forced to move online after physical distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 crisis.

"Although we were disappointed to miss out on the experience and memories that the trip to Denver would have provided, I think we made the most of the competition's new format," Thoma said. "We practiced our negotiations via Microsoft Teams to make sure that we were prepared for any technology issues that might arise."

On the final day, each of the 12 teams participated in two online negotiation rounds, which were judged by practicing attorneys from law firms and in-house corporate counsels from the greater Denver area.

"While the online format of the competition was unanticipated, it was a better reflection of what real life negotiations are like," James said. "In my clerkships and corporate council externship, most large scale deals were done over the phone and co-counsel or the 'business' team may not be in the same room with you. After participating in the competition, I feel more prepared to negotiate in practice."