Negotiating At Georgetown

I'm currently over at Georgetown's Law School after having just finished two rounds of an ABA Negotiation Competition. I must say this is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable experiences I've yet had in law school. The final session of competitors are currently negotiating and judges will announce the four teams that advance to the final round (tomorrow) during a reception later tonight. This experience has reminded me how much I enjoyed (and miss) much of the contract and business negotiation I did while working for Westinghouse and Mitsubishi. (I particularly enjoyed my involvement in cross-cultural negotiations with the Japanese.)

While our morning session left some room for improvement, my teammate and I got very positive feedback from our afternoon session. (Including particularly high marks for civility.) I don't expect to move into tomorrow's round, but have had a ton of fun preparing and participating in this competition. Like I said, this is quite possibly the most enjoyable thing I've yet done in law school and something I hope to do more of. (Incidentally, I am currently the vice president of GMU's Alternative Dispute Resolution Society.)

P.S. -- If you have any interest in this kind of stuff, I highly recommend the book Getting To Yes.

P.P.S. -- Here are additional resources for anyone interested in Alternative Dispute Resolution:

• Northern Virginia Mediation Service. NVMS is a non-profit GMU affilitate, providing mediation training and services in Northern Virginia. There are many internship opportunities available for students. This website has links to local and national organizations.
• The Conflict Resolution Information Source. A searchable database of articles and information about ADR and Conflict Resolution.
• The American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution. This site has information about ABA programs, events, and publications, promoting problem-solving and excellence in the provision of dispute resolution services.
• American Arbitration Association. Information and links about all forms of dispute prevention and resolution including mediation, arbitration, fact-finding, partnering, dispute review boards and other related alternative dispute resolution processes.