IIT Chicago-Kent to Participate in the ABA Negotiation Competition

IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law will send two teams to compete against teams from 11 law schools in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin in the American Bar Association's (ABA) Regional Negotiation Competition November 9 to 10 at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. The winning teams in the region will join teams from nine other regions at the national finals held February 7 to 8 during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Chicago.

The two IIT Chicago-Kent teams competing in Cincinnati are coached by Chicago attorney Ian Bucciarelli. Michael Barnes '14 and Martha Drouet '14 are members of the first team. The other team comprises Kate Kosartes '13 and David McKenzie '14.

Team member Michael Barnes earned a degree in history and political sciences from Northern Illinois University. Martha Drouet completed her undergraduate education in visual anthropology and art history at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Team member Kate Kosartes, who will receive her J.D. from IIT Chicago-Kent in December 2013, graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Iowa. Teammate David McKenzie earned an undergraduate degree in Chinese studies from DePaul University.

Quality representation of clients requires that one be able to negotiate contracts, settlements and other agreements. Sponsored by the ABA Law Student Division, the Negotiation Competition promotes greater interest among law students in legal negotiation and provides a means for them to practice and improve their negotiating skills. The competition also helps students build these essential skills by providing them with a forum in which to negotiate under time constraints, and in an area of law with which they may not be familiar.

The competition simulates legal negotiations in which law students, acting as lawyers, negotiate a series of legal problems. This year, competitors will deal with two problems. In the first, teams will negotiate on behalf of an electric car company with its battery supplier in a breach-of-contract dispute. In the second, teams will represent a hotel that has contracted with an Internet security company to restore its Internet connection. However, due to recent developments beyond the control of either party, the security company is unable to uphold its end of the contract.

Founded in 1888, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law is celebrating "125 years of distinctive legal education." IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law is the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology, a private, Ph.D.-granting institution with programs in engineering, psychology, architecture, business, design and law.