October 28, 2019: State Bar Association Announces Winners of Law Student Alternative Dispute Resolution Writing Contest

October 28, 2019: State Bar Association Announces Winners of Law Student Alternative Dispute Resolution Writing Contest

10.28.2019

By Communications Department

The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Dispute Resolution Section and the American College of Civil Trial Mediators (ACCTM) have announced the winners of the third annual NYSBA/ACCTM National Championship, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Law Student Writing Competition.

The winner of the $1,000 New York competition is Rachel Schwartzman of Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Her article is titled: “Using Final Offer Arbitration to Settle Divorces: An Analysis.”

The winner of the $10,000 national competition is Marsha Levinson, a student from Santa Clara University School of Law. Her article is titled: “Mandatory Arbitration: How the Current System Perpetuates Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.”

“The purpose of this competition is to heighten interest in, and competence related to, student writing on the subject of ADR. It has succeeded in that regard beyond our wildest imagination,” said John Wilkinson of New York City, who led the section’s participation in the competition. “It has created almost a fervor in the schools,” Wilkinson added.

“This year we had 46 entries from 19 law schools across the country,” said John Salmon, of Salmon & Dulberg Dispute Resolution in Miami, Fla. and editor in chief of the American Journal of Mediation published by ACCTM. “We had 15 judges from the section together with members of the editorial board of our Journal and the college, who put in many hours choosing the winner. And it was their pleasure to do so.”

The winning entries will be published in either or both of NYSBA’s New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer publication and the ACCTM Journal. The winners of the competition were presented with their checks and trophies at the Dispute Resolution Section’s Fall Meeting on Oct. 25 at New York Law School.

For details on the 2020 competition, inquiries should be directed to: nysbaacctmjournalcontest@gmail.com

About the New York State Bar Association

The New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. Since 1876, NYSBA has helped shape the development of law, educated and informed the legal profession and the public, and championed the rights of New Yorkers through advocacy and guidance in our communities.

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Contact: Christian Nolan

518/487-5536

cnolan@nysba.org