Feb. 17, 2012

The Thomas Jefferson School of Law student team celebrated a big win at the 5th Annual Tulane National Baseball Arbitration Competition in New Orleans on Feb. 10. The simulated arbitration competition allows law students to sharpen their oral and written advocacy skills. The moot-court type proceeding is modeled after the procedures used by Major League Baseball. TJSL baseball arbitration team members Justin Heim, Dan Nguyen and Sam Ehrlich scored five straight wins and defeated 39 other teams from law schools across the country. TJSL advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Harvard in the first round 98-92, earning a nearly perfect score of 98 out of 100. The team then bested Pittsburgh in the next round, followed by a win over Fordham, 95-88. Once in the semi-finals, they beat Wisconsin to advance to the final round, where they were victorious over the University of Virginia. TJSL represented the Oakland Athletics in the championship round in the matter of the arbitration of Andrew Bailey. Faculty sports law adviser and adjunct professor Randy Grossman accompanied the students to Tulane. “I could not be more proud this team. They worked so hard, working long hours writing their briefs, after doing all the research and then honing their skills for their oral advocacy, which they continued through all five rounds of the competition,” Grossman said. “It was really remarkable. Already looking forward to next year to defend our championship, but for the time being we will enjoy it.” Speakers and arbitrators at the event included: Nona Lee, senior vice president and general counsel of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Clark Griffith, attorney, AAA arbitrator; former owner and executive vice president of the Minnesota Twins and former chairman of Major League Baseball Properties and Bryan Minniti, assistant GM of the Washington Nationals.