On November 14, Fordham Law’s Dispute Resolution Society (DRS) Domestic Arbitration team bested the competition at the 2020 American Bar Association (ABA) Arbitration Regional Competition hosted by the University of South Dakota Law School. Fordham entered two teams in the competition for the first time this year, due to the cancellation of the Judith S. Kaye Arbitration Competition, hosted by the New York State Bar Association, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teams won their preliminary and semifinal rounds, and both made it all the way to the competition’s final round where they competed against each other head-to-head. The team of Margaret Revera ‘22, Joshua Zelen ‘22, Catherine Young ‘22, Perry Zirpoli ‘22, and Ksenia Matthews ‘22 captured First Place Overall. The team of Zoe Buzinkai ‘22, Haley Johnson Griffin ‘22, Joshua Wexler ‘22, William Delaney ‘22, and Dayana Ledezma ‘22 secured the runner-up position.
The case was a contract dispute between a home warranty company and a new home buyer who contracted with the company to cover the cost of repairs for structural defects on his dream home. Both teams prepared throughout the semester as they developed their arbitration skills in class with Professor Deborah Masucci, practiced their skills with Fordham alumni and 3L DRS members, and showcased their skills in a public round in advance of the competition with professional arbitrators and the full DRS membership. Through their preparation, competitors developed opening statements, performed direct and cross-examinations on various witnesses, and practiced closing arguments.
The two teams competed virtually and presented cases in three different rounds, switching Claimant and Respondent positions, until they reached the final round. The judges commented in each round on the teams’ professionalism and competency. Moreover, the judges and ABA were so impressed with each of the teams that both were invited to compete in the ABA Arbitration National Competition in January 2021.
“I am very proud of both teams. In a short ten weeks, the students learned the arbitration rules and procedures, developed an arbitration advocacy strategy from the Claimant and Respondent point of view, and refined their winning strategies,” said Professor Masucci, who coached and mooted the teams via Zoom throughout the year. “Both teams demonstrated the highest degree of professionalism and ethics during the competition. All these skills are important as the courts and clients integrate arbitration into their dispute resolution tool box.”
The teams’ student coach, Emily Entwistle ’21, added: “Each of the teams worked really hard on this problem and deserve the honor of moving on to nationals in January. They have made myself, Professor Masucci, and all of Fordham Law extremely proud! It’s a pleasure to work with them, and I look forward to helping them prepare for the final leg of the competition.”