Alternative Dispute Resolution Team

The UM Carey Law Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Team is a for-credit student organization for students with a particular skill for and interest in negotiation and mediation. Members of the ADR team meet weekly for lecture sessions and simulations with Coaches.

In the Fall semester, members attend a negotiation seminar taught by adjunct faculty, Barry Gogel. Members learn how to build a negotiation framework and explore different personal communications styles and terminologies (e.g., BATNA/WATNA) through lectures and simulations. In the Spring semester, members attend a mediation seminar taught by adjunct faculty Daniel Adamson.

The ADR Team competes in various national and international competitions each year that involve diverse areas of law including intellectual property, business, sports, entertainment, and environmental law.

ADR members are required to compete in at least one competition during their time on the ADR Team. In preparation for competitions, students are partnered into teams and are assigned a designated coach. The coaches provide individualized feedback as well as competition-specific guidance. Competing teams will also practice with other members of the ADR Team to help prepare them for competitions.

The ADR Team is largely student-run, but we are greatly assisted by our faculty advisor, Toby Guerin, and our adjunct professors, Barry Gogel and Claire Costantino, as well as the rest of our alumni coaches.

Contact information: The Alternative Dispute Resolution Team
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD, 21201
Email: adrt@law.umaryland.edu

How to Join ADR Team

The ADR Team holds tryouts each spring, open to first-year day students, first-year evening students transferring to the day program, and second-year evening students. In round one of tryouts, each student is provided a fact pattern containing general facts and confidential facts. Students are paired off into groups of two and negotiate with the other party to reach an agreement. Students who make it to round two of tryouts will interview with members of the Executive Board of the ADR Team.

Competitions:

Below are some of the competitions that the ADR Team has recently participated in:

  1. ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition (Baltimore, MD), 2022
  2. International Chamber of Commerce Commercial Mediation Competition (virtual), 2021
  3. Thomas Jefferson School of Law National Sports Law Negotiation Competition (San Diego, CA), 2020
  4. Tulane Professional Football Negation Competition (New Orleans, LA), 2023
  5. ABA Law Student Division Representation in Mediation Competition (virtual), 2023
  6. INADR Law School Mediation Tournament (Bologna, Italy), 2023
  7. FINRA/St. Johns Securities Dispute Resolution Competition (virtual), 2022

Members:

2Ts: Emily Sedlak, Tyler Fultz, Hannah Lee, Pete Shenouda, Nathan Holiman, Melissa Sobrepera, Melissa LaMotta, Sara Devaraj, Mya Jeter, Jaâ Miyah Price, Connor Lemma, Renae Lee, Brynn Drury, Sakshi Das, Mitchell Schuster, Connor Engle, Sophia Skorup, Aryana Ravery, Mira Ward, Susie Fan, Zuha Hameed, Sara Halimichael, Rob Handler, Mira Ward, Logan Marx. Julia Baddley, Imani Vice, Cameron Coughlin, Alen Dzaferagic

Leadership: Executive Board Members

Emily Sedlak: President
Tyler Fultz: Vice President
Hannah Lee: Membership Chair
Pete Shenouda: Treasurer
Melissa LaMotta: Social Media Chair
Competition Chairs: Nathan Holman & Melissa Sobrepera 

Faculty Advisor

  1. Toby Guerin
  2. Barry Gogel
  3. Claire Costantino

Coaches

  1. Mary Biscoe-Hall
  2. Molly Boyd 
  3. Joshua Chazen 

Recent Top Finishes for the ADR Team

2021 ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Representation in Mediation Regional Competition

  • First Place: Kristin Wells ('21) and Therian Lee ('21)
  • Second Place: Spencer Warkentin ('20) and Emma Craig ('20)
  • Team Members: Rachel Greenwald (’22) and Tanner Whited (’22)
  • Coaches: Michael Goldberg ('14) and Nick Vogt ('19)

 2021 Tulane Professional Football Negotiation Competition

  • First Place: Justin Meltzer ('21) and Mark Metrey ('21)
  • Team Member: Maya Foster ('20)
  • Coach: Barry Gogel ('97)

2020 ABA Law Student Division Regional Negotiation Competition

  • Winner: Celena Dyal ('21) and Garett Unger ('21)
  • Team Members: Inioluwa Femi-Fatukasi ’22, Erika Birk ’22, Jesse Walsh ’21, Mike McLaughlin ’22
  • Coach: Barry Gogel ('97)