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Law School Team Wins Tulane Negotiation Competition
University of Mississippi School of Law students Clayton Adams and Alexia Boggs took the title in the Tulane Professional Football Negotiation Competition hosted by Tulane University Law School January 29-30, 2016.
The competition consisted of 20 total teams from 18 different schools. The pair went through three rounds before entering the championship round against Fowler School of Law. The competition is hosted by the Tulane Sports Law Society, and is a simulated contract negotiation using real life scenarios and actual upcoming NFL free agents.
“The competition was exciting and a great learning experience,” Boggs said.
“When Clayton and I started prepping for the competition, I knew next to nothing about actual NFL players, much less their contracts. Aside from solidifying my love of contract drafting and negotiation, the experience benefitted me as a legal professional by teaching me how to successfully advocate for my client, even when I am starting from scratch.”
The competition is designed to help students hone their negotiation skills while learning about actual NFL contracts. Judges included professionals in the NFL world, including the vice presidents of football administration for the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints, and football administration coordinator for the Chicago Bears.
Boggs, a second year student, and Adams, a third year, participated as part of the law school’s Negotiation Board, housed in the Business Law Institute. The Business Law Institute was developed to specifically train business lawyers through active learning, like the negotiation competition.
“As to being on the Negotiation Board, I think the benefit to a law student is that it is as close to real deal making as someone can get,” says Douglas MacKimm, chair of the Negotiation Board. “There is an expectation for modern attorneys to be strong negotiators, and this Board allows us to develop a very practical skill that has value in whatever type of career follows law school.”
For more information on the competition, visit Tulane’s website.