Friday, April 24, 2009

Fri, 16 Mar 2007

Ashli Sutton and Dennis Englerth, third-year students at Liberty University School of Law, finished as semi-finalists in the American Bar Association (ABA) Regional Client Counseling Competition held this year in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Participating schools included University of North Carolina School of Law, Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, Regent University School of Law, Washington and Lee University School of Law, and William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law. After several rounds, Ms. Sutton and Mr. Englerth were defeated by a team from the University of North Carolina School of Law. North Carolina Central University School of Law was later named the regional champion.

The competition simulates numerous law office consultations in which a team of two students, acting as attorneys, is presented with a client situation with multiple hypothetical issues. The students interview a number of “clients” throughout the competition, with each client describing a different type of problem. The winners of the regional tournament advance to the national competition held later in the spring semester.

This was the first time that Liberty University School of Law students competed in the Client Counseling Competition. Several faculty members and students were instrumental in preparing the team for the tournament by serving as fictitious clients and judges.

Jory H. Fisher, Association Dean for Career & Professional Development and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law, served as advisor and coach to the team. "To become semi-finalists at this competition was quite a feat. Students from other law schools in our region told me they’d been practicing and strategizing since August and that we should be very proud of advancing to such a high level our first year. Congratulations again to Ms. Sutton and Mr. Englerth for exemplifying professionalism at its finest. Thanks to our Lawyering Skills professors, they were well equipped with skills that impressed the judges."

For more information about Liberty University School of Law, please write law@liberty.edu or call 434-592-5300.