The competition, which took place March 17 and March 18, focused on mediation advocacy, requiring the competitors to undergo mock mediation sessions where one party served as a client and the other as the attorney needing to advocate the client’s interests.

On March 17, Hoffman and Wihnyk competed against two teams from the University of Memphis: Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and West Virginia University College of Law, respectively.

With positive feedback and high scores issued by practicing mediators from the area, Hoffman and Wihnyk advanced to the final round the following day, surpassing ten other teams from across the South.

“I really felt that the vagueness of the fact patterns and the strong competitors put our skills to the test, and made for a challenging competition,” Wihnyk said. “I was incredibly proud and satisfied with how we, as a team, competed, and were able to overcome the numerous obstacles that a start-up organization faces to make it to the finals in only our third competition.”

In the final round, Hoffman and Wihnyk mediated against the second team brought by the University of Memphis.

“We were pleasantly surprised when it was announced that we would be competing in the finals,” Hoffman explained, “but it all came full circle when we realized that the other team had an advantage — having teammates who had competed against us and a coach who had observed the entire mediation. We knew that we would need to develop a strategy whereby we acted in the roles those team members had not observed us in.”

Though the team did not win the final round, Hoffman and Wihnyk felt validation for their preparation after hearing the judges explain that the scores were incredibly close, and commend them on their performance.

“In the end, it was the first time the UF ADR team advanced to the finals of any competition,” UF ADR President, Jennilyn Thiboult said, “we are incredibly pleased with the results, proud of our team and looked forward to future competitions.”

On Thursday the UF Law Costa Rica Program & Conservation Clinic, the Center for Latin American Studies, and Gators for Alternative Dispute Resolution will host Dr. Mario Mancilla, the legal adviser to the Secretariat of Environmental Matters (SEM) of the Dominican Republic – Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).

Mancilla will present “Environmental Dispute Resolution under the CAFTA-DR: Obstacles and Opportunities.”

He will describe the difficulties inherent in environmental disputes among the CAFTA countries (including the United States), the role of the SEM in resolving these disputes, and the increasing importance of environmental dispute resolution within trade agreements.

The talk will take place at noon in the Faculty Dining Room and a light lunch will be provided.

The theme of the annual conference was, “Preparing to Serve,” and its main purpose was to bring the leaders and members of the organization together to exchange ideas and learn various skills to promote and spread various conflict resolution programs and initiatives. Over 140 members from all over the world attended the conference, including renowned author Bernard Mayer, United States Ambassador John W. McDonald and President Jamil Mahuad, president of Ecuador from 1998-2000. Attendees also included student representatives from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, University of Winnipeg Faculty of Law in Canada, and University of Maryland School of Law.

The five law school representatives from GADR proudly represented UF Law at the conference. The students learned practical mediation skills from professionals as well as various ways for students to participate in mediation missions in local and foreign communities.

“Not really knowing anything about MBB and the work that they do I was blown away by the dedication and impact that the members have in their local community as well as in remote communities worlds away. From mediating disputes between Israeli and Palestinians in the Middle East, to working with communities in New Orleans trying to rebuild from Hurricane Katrina and mediating at the 2009 Climate Change convention in Copenhagen, there was truly nowhere the members of MBB could not reach through the complex and often misunderstood art of mediation,” said Alison Wender.

In addition, the GADR representatives met with the leaders of MBB to discuss the importance of expanding student chapters to include more skills-based training in the form of on-campus visits by mediation professionals and national training conferences.

“This weekend was such a wonderful experience and it inspired me in ways I can’t explain. Besides learning some skills at the workshop, we learned so much by meeting people who are actually working as peace builders and mediators. I am genuinely touched by this conference and when I’m back home in the Netherlands I want to start up an MBB University Chapter,” said Rachel Loeve, exchange student from the Netherlands.

Both the leaders of MBB and the general members expressed a deep appreciation for the students who were in attendance. On multiple occasions, leaders and members of MBB praised the students before entire congress and commented that student members are the future leaders of conflict resolution initiatives in the world.

“Hearing about the real-world challenges of professionals in the thick of resolving conflict, like Ken Cloke, Lynn Cole, Tom Fiutak, Prabha Sankaranarayan, and Judge Srdan Simac, helped to put in perspective what the preparation and learning of law school is really all about. I would recommend this conference to any law student dedicated to serving the local and global communities in changing our world,” said Michael Kelley.

In addition to the leaders praising the students, Zarra Elias was a keynote speaker at the conference and had the opportunity to address the congress. Zarra is the chair of MBB’s University Chapter Leadership Committee, and she spoke passionately about the work being done by the student chapters, the rapid progress of GADR at UF Law, and the need for more practical, skills-based training for university students.

“From listening to speakers to attending workshop presentations, I must say that this has been one of best conferences I have attended. I have never been in a room filled with that many inspiring people. Meeting judges, attorneys, doctors, and fellow law students have been a remarkable experience for me. The conference is a testament of goodwill as well as a reminder that many people are capable of opening their hearts to strangers and those in need. They are not just mediators, but they are also ambassadors of peace and kindness,” said Zarra Elias.

Based on the input from Zarra and the other student members, the MBB executive board is currently putting together a proposal to host a national workshop specifically for student members to facilitate skills-based conflict resolution trainings to better prepare students for service.

Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB) is a non-profit, humanitarian organization that partners with communities worldwide in order to build their conflict resolution capacity for preventing, resolving and healing from conflict. MBB is comprised of professional alternative dispute resolution specialists and students of all backgrounds who share a common passion for bringing conflict resolution to communities in need across the world. GADR is one of twelve MBB student chapters.

Florida Moot Court Team excels in Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition
The Florida Moot Court Team competed last semester in the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Miami. Team members Rob Davis (3L) and C. Andrew Roy (2L) advanced to the semi-final round after achieving the highest overall score in the preliminary rounds, beating out 10 other teams including teams from the University of Oklahoma, University of Miami, and Emory University. In addition, Roy received the Best Oralist award for the regional competition. Encompassing both First Amendment freedom of speech issues as well Fourteenth Amendment equal protection issues, the competition problem involved a public defender whose employment contract was not renewed following several presentations at CLE seminars regarding the lack of funding for certain minority, indigent clients. The Florida Moot Court Team is UF’s premiere competitive moot court team and is governed by the Justice Campbell Thornal Executive Board.

Tax Moot Court Team places second in national competition
Congratulations to Tax Moot Court Team Captain Joshua Landsman (3L) and James Baley (2L) on their second place finish in the recent National Tax Moot Court Competition. Congratulations also to Chris Pavilonis (JD 09, LLM 10) and Professor Steven Willis, who co-coached the team. The competition included teams from Oregon, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Massachusetts, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida and other states. The Levin College of Law team placed second for the second consecutive year. The UF Tax Law Society sponsored the team for this competition as well as another team for the upcoming Tax Moot Court competition in Buffalo. In addition, the UF Tax Law Society sponsors a team for the National Securities Dispute Resolution Competition in New York. Last year the UF Law team placed first in securities mediation in that event. On behalf of the UF Tax Law Society, the team would like to thank the Law College Council, The Florida Moot Court Team, and the Student Government Association for financial contributions that partially funded the team’s participation this year. In addition, the team would like to thank the Levin College of Law and also Jason Yoepp for his assistance and contributions. (Photo from left to right: James Baley, Joshua Landsman and Chris Pavilonis)

Earn extern credits with UF Law Costa Rica Program
Got Spanish? The UF Law Costa Rica Program enjoys a unique relationship with the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights, the research organ of the Inter-American Court for Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica. As a result, a qualified UF Law student enrolled in the program can extern with the institute for three credits during the summer program. For students with an interest in international human rights, Latin America and in developing their ability to write and speak in professional Spanish this is a unique opportunity. For more information contact Costa Rica Program Director Tom Ankersen or Michelle Ocepek. Those wishing to get a student’s perspective on the experience should feel free to speak with Miredys Gonzalez, last year’s extern at the Institute.

The Journal of Technology Law and Policy introduces new Web site
The Journal of Technology Law and Policy presents their new and improved Web site, with information on how to contribute, subscribe, and find out more information about the journal and its members. Special thanks to Web site Executive Miriam Cortes and Assistant Editor-in-Chief Jared Beckerman for their outstanding contributions to the site. Interested students should check the site later this semester for updated information about our next write-on/grade-on competition. Visit http://jtlp.org for more information.

Ankersen and Hamann attend international wetlands symposium
Tom Ankersen, director of UF Law Conservation Clinic, and Richard Hamann, associate in law at the UF Law Center for Governmental Responsibility, along with UF PhD students and faculty affiliated with the National Science Foundation’s Integrated Graduate Research, Education and Training Program in Water, Wetlands and Watersheds presented their research at the international symposium “Wetlands in a Flood Pulsing Environment: Effects and Responses in Biodiversity, Ecosystem Functioning and Human Society” in Maun, Botswana, the gateway to Southern Africa’s storied Okavango Delta. Hosted by the Henry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Center at the University of Botswana, the week long symposium was attended by leading researchers representing some of the world’s most significant wetland environments, including the Okavango, the Pantanal and Amazon flooded forests of Brazil, Florida’s Everglades and the Mississippi River Delta, the TonLe Sap Great Lake wetlands of Cambodia, and the famed marshes of the Tigris & Euphrates River Valley of Southern Iraq – among many others.

Trial Team travels to National Trial Competition
Congratulations to 3L’s Kali Feinman and Aaron Kelley and 2L’s Jennifer Leitner and Brian Wolf, who travelled through the snow to Jackson, Mississippi this weekend to compete in the National Trial Competition. The competition capped nearly two months of diligent preparation and resulted in each team trying the case three times over two days. In addition to handling motions and evidentiary issues, this competition requires all advocates to have both sides of the case prepared and to try either side with very little notice. The team’s next competition will be the American Association for Justice competition held in Atlanta, Feb. 25-28.