This year, we will celebrate 15 years of the Richard Grand Damages Argument Competition. It is a symbol of Richard Grand's lasting tradition of "Grand Ideas" for future lawyers.

 

The event is an Arizona Law oral argument competition that emphasizes the presentation of damages evidence in personal injury cases. Student finalists present mock closing arguments on the issue of how much in damages should be awarded in a civil lawsuit. 

 

The competition is funded by the late Richard Grand, a 1958 graduate of the College of Law. Grand began his practice in Tucson as a deputy county attorney. In 1962, he went into private practice, representing plaintiffs. On more than 100 occasions he obtained either a verdict or settlement in excess of $1 million.

 

Robson Hauser ('14), Professor Tom Mauet, and Sean Kelly ('14)

 

As another friendly game plays out between the goalposts each fall, the Jenckes Competition is the premier (if somewhat less well known) "north of Speedway" event. The annual contest with ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law involves students working in pairs to deliver a closing trial argument. 

 

Topics have included a civil action resulting from a devastating highway collision between two tractor-trailer trucks, and a criminal defendant being tried for murder after a road rage incident turned deadly.

 

For 33 years, Professor Tom Mauet has coached the Arizona Law Jenckes Team, bringing home the Jenckes Cup time after time. Two-time Jenckes participant (and two-time champion!) Robson Hauser ('14) describes his Jenckes team experience:

 

"Learning from Tom Mauet is as good as it gets. I've been using his books since I was a freshman in college, and to get to learn from him in a one-on-one setting is incredible. He was a big part of my decision to come to Arizona. I've received the best training I could have ever hoped for."

 

Named for the late Joseph S. Jenckes ('61), an alum and prominent Phoenix attorney, the competition is sponsored and judged by members of the Arizona Chapter of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). Jenckes was a Fellow in the ACTL. In 2004, citing Tom's outstanding work in preparing students for trial practice, the ACTL awarded the prestigious Gumpert Prize to Arizona Law.

 

 

The Arizona Law Transactional LawMeet® Team, coached by Professor Billy Sjostrom, offers students the chance to engage in negotiations and agreement drafting in real-world business issues.

 

The transactional competitions, which are relatively new in the legal education community, feature problems such as an indemnification agreement, renegotiation of a stock purchase agreement, and an executive compensation agreement. In addition to skill development, students gain visibility with some of the top business law firms in the country who sponsor the competition.

 

Our Transactional Team works with the faculty in the Business Law Program (BLP) to dissect the problem. Before the competition, students draft an agreement. On the day of the competition, they will negotiate and revise their agreements with the goal of a resolution.

 

Greg Laver ('14)

Greg Laver ('14) was heavily involved in the LawMeet competitions, and in helping the law school more generally in expanding our advanced contract drafting resources.

 

"The LawMeet competitions are what I enjoyed most about law school. The experience drafting, redlining, and negotiating commercial contracts has helped me develop the skills necessary for success in my future career. In fact, my managers and the other attorneys I work with at Intel often comment on how effective I've been with minimal supervision -- a direct result of the practical training I have had through the LawMeet competitions."

  

 

Will Pew ('14)

The Arizona Law IP LawMeet® Team, coached by Professors Billy Sjostrom, Derek Bambauer, and Larry Hecker, provides students a meaningful and engaging simulation of a transactional intellectual property practice.

 

Students work in teams to draft a transactional agreement in which IP rights constitute a key element. Past topics have included structuring and negotiating a license agreement, developing a joint development agreement to explore the commercial potential of a new technology, and exploring both the legal and strategic aspects of cross-licensing deals.

 

Recent graduate Will Pew ('14), an incoming associate at the Hecker Law Firm, flourished in the competition.

 

"I looked forward to negotiating the terms of the deal. Once you are sitting across the table from an opposing party, it is all about working with your teammate to find common ground and move the deal forward. That requires careful listening and negotiating skills. It is a great opportunity to have some 'real-world' experience in this arena." 

 

Over the past few years Arizona Law has bolstered its commitment to Intellectual Property. We welcomed Professor Bambauer as head of the IP program, established the Quarles & Brady Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship Clinic, and created new internship opportunities such as the Copyright Fellowship with the UA Center for Creative Photography. IP continues to be an area of growing student interest and high career demand.