Another Great Finish for Negotiation and Mediation Team

UC Hastings had another extraordinarily successful showing at a major international ADR competition, this time at the International Academy of Dispute Resolution Mediation Competition in London. Held from March 24 to 26, the competition featured teams from 17 different countries on four continents, with judging panels comprised of top mediators and ADR Specialists from the Academy.

For the second consecutive year, UC Hastings is home to the number one mediator in the world. In an extraordinary accomplishment, Mara Boundy '12 was ranked first out of 102 mediators competing for the championship. Boundy's championship was just the tip of the iceberg, however.

In the race for top mediator, Billy Hileman '12 also took fourth place from the field of 102, giving UC Hastings two mediators placed in the top five internationally.

In addition to UC Hastings' mediation success, Sara Pollock '11 and Wesley Sheffield '12 took home the third place trophy from the pool of 208 pairs competing for the top advocacy prize. Further, Billy Hileman, Wesley Sheffield and Sara Pollock represented UC Hastings in the tournament's final round, bringing home the third place trophy for Team Advocacy.

Finally, Pollock, Sheffield and Hileman combined to bring home the prize for eighth place team mediation. This particular group of three deserves special recognition for their success, as they finished in the top 10 as a group in both of the competition's disciplines.

All in all, with 312 entrants for the mediator, advocate and team awards, UC Hastings featured the champion mediator, placed three times in the Top 3, four times in the Top 5 and five times in the Top 10.

Melissa Nelken, professor of law and acting director and faculty chair for the Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution offered her congratulations to all involved.

"Your successes are well deserved, and I am proud to be associated with this fine ADR program," Nelken said. "It has been my pleasure to work with all of you. May the momentum the team has created carry us through the end of the year!" 

Next stop? The team heads for the IADR San Francisco competition.

About the Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution(CNDR):

CNDR is committed to providing the theory and training necessary for law students as well as practicing professionals to be effective negotiators, mediators and arbitrators in a world that depends more and more upon collaborative methods to resolve disputes and to solve problems.

View CNDR's brochure.