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MSU College of Law

November 25, 2013

CONTACT: Kent Love, director of communications, 517-432-6959; kent.love@law.msu.edu

MSU Law Arbitration Team Wins Regional Competition; Advances to National Finals

The Michigan State University College of Law arbitration team consisting of third-year students Jalisa Foster and Samantha Schnoerr, and second-year students Erin Frazer and Paul Robertson, placed first in the American Bar Association Law Student Division regional commercial arbitration competition. The event was held on November 16-17, 2013, at Pace University School of Law in White Plains, New York.

The winning team placed second after the preliminary rounds, winning the semi-final round Sunday morning to advance to the final round that afternoon. The team swept the final round before a panel of three trial judges and a prosecuting attorney from Westchester County.   The team will represent the Law College in the national competition on January 24-25, 2014, in Chicago.

The Arbitration Competition promotes greater knowledge in arbitration by simulating a realistic arbitration hearing. Participants prepare and present an arbitration case, including opening statements, witness examinations, exhibit introductions, evidentiary presentations, and summations.

The team was coached by Mary A. Bedikian, professor of law in residence and director of MSU Law’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program.

“This marks the fourth year in a row that an MSU team has won the regional competition, and the sixth time in nine years that a team has advanced to the national competition,” said Bedikian. “This team’s outstanding work continues our tradition of training law students to excel in arbitration advocacy.”

“What makes this competition victory even more gratifying is that Ms. Foster, a former Black Law Student Association team winner, was the competition’s alternate until last Sunday when I asked her to assume an official team position. She had less than one week to prepare to compete.”

(MSU Law Arbitration Team L to R: Sam Schnoerr, Paul Robertson, Jalisa Foster, and Erin Frazer)

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