Fierce competition between teams at the Dentons Negotiations Competition

Winning team Alex Kucey (1L) and Brett Lojczyc (2L) will represent UAlberta Faculty of Law at ABA Regional Competition in Seattle (Nov 7-8, 2014)

Katherine Thompson - 9 October 2014

(l-r) Brett Lojczyc (2L) and Alex Kucey (1L)

The Dentons Edmonton office hosted the 14th Dentons Negotiation Competition for University of Alberta Faculty of Law students on October 7, 2014.

There were 48 competitors (24 teams of 2) in the event, some of them brave first-year law students who had just started law school in September. Not only was this an important opportunity for the Faculty of Law's 1L students to get their first taste of a negotiations competition but it enabled them and their fellow UAlberta Law students to meet with Dentons LLP partners and associates. The competition was fierce between the teams but in the end the three highest placing competing teams were:

1st Place: Alex Kucey (1L) and Brett Lojczyc (2L)

2nd Place: Robert McCarty (3L) and Brett Colvin (3L)

3rd Place: Evan Halbert (1L) and Mathew Smith (1L)

Alex and Brett have jointly earned a spot in the ABA Regional Competition to be held at the University of Seattle School of Law during the weekend of November 7 and 8, 2014. If successful at that event, they would be eligible to compete at the ABA National Competition in February 6 and 7, 2015 in Houston Texas.

The Faculty of Law is grateful to Dentons Edmonton LLP and for the contribution of the many individuals including the volunteer lawyers and clients including, Dentons partners and associates, who took time out of their busy schedules to be judges for the moot competition. Their efforts created a unique opportunity for skill development and for making contact among students, lawyers and clients in Dentons and beyond. The following is a list of the judges, to whom Dentons Edmonton and the Faculty of Law extend their grateful thanks:

Internal Judges: Claire Bond, John Lemieux, Jennifer Halloran, Fausto Franceschi, Sara Hart, Susy Trace, Ryan Quinlan, Justine Lee, Robert de Guzman, Alison Walsh and Ameen Tejani.

External Judges: Andrew Fraser (Finning), Cory Sutton (Meyers Norris Penny), Danielle L'Heureux (Luxus Group), Eric Sauze (JAG flocomponents LP), Kathleen Bruce (Long Lake Cottage Owners Association), Luke Manca (Eldor-wal Registrations), Lyle Brookes (Enbridge), Ryan Malloy (Swift Oilfield Supply), Todd Swankhuizen (Swift Oilfield Supply), and Professor Ubaka Ogbogu (University of Alberta Faculty of Law).

In addition to the judges, Dentons and the Faculty of Law are grateful to Dentons associate Omolara Oladipo for leadership of the event, and to the following people and companies whose assistance she coordinated:

  • Marketing: Jenn Muir, Necha Aitken and Jessica Johnson

  • Ushers/Timekeepers: Lara Draper, Amir Reshef, Amy Scott, Regan Dahl, Ashvin Singh and Belinda Chiang

  • Articling Committee: Sarat Maharaj, Claire Bond and John Lemieux

  • University of Alberta Faculty of Law contacts: Prof. Averie McNary, Patricia Neil, Shannon Gullberg, Scott Meyer, Katherine Thompson, Rebecca Radcliffe and Dean Paul D. Paton

  • Event coordinators, Lee Anne Rudiger and Lorie Crawford. Lee Anne and Lorie were instrumental not only in overseeing important logistics including catering, flowers, linen and various other logistical contingencies so that the evening was seamless, but they also moved and arranged furniture to give Dentons' meeting rooms a regional competition "feel" and to make the reception area more suited for the purposes of the briefing.

  • Others: Bridges Caterer, Elegant Touches, River City Rentals and Graham & Lane

Thanks also to Maria McDonald, Colleen Cust, Mary Krys, Phyllis Maslanko and Diana Gawreluck. The efficient running of the event was due in large part to their contributions and energy.

Dentons and UAlberta Faculty of Law both look forward to seeing many of this year's law students compete again next year and to welcoming a whole new batch of law students to the negotiations competition!


Interviews with Dentons Negotiation Competition's winning team of Brett Lojczyc (2L) and Alexander Kucey (1L):


Brett Lojczyc (2L)

  1. Can you please describe your Dentons Negotiation Competition experience?

    The Dentons Negotiation Competition was overall a very positive experience. Leading up to the event we had fun testing our problem solving skills and brainstorming ways in which we could create more value for both parties. During the event, it was rewarding to have these ideas incorporated into a good deal for our client.

  2. What did you learn from your negotiation competition experience, and how do you think you will use this learning experience in your law education and future career?

    Balance is everything. While it is good to be passive in a negotiation, there also comes a time when it is time to start expressing and pressing for your clients' interests.

    I hope that these negotiation experiences continue to help develop my skills in order to better service a client's needs in the future.

  3. Please describe the feeling of winning the negotiations competition?

    I was pleasantly surprised as well.

  4. What advice would you offer to next year's Dentons Negotiations Competition teams?

    Establish early on what the non-negotiables are; keep the tempo high; and work together to create a relationship where both parties come out winners.


Alexander Kucey (1L)

  1. Can you please describe your Dentons Negotiation Competition experience?

    As a 1L I haven't had any moot experience per say, but in regards to negotiation I've taken a class in the subject during my undergrad. Also for general presentation skills I was quite involved in case competitions at the business school.

  2. What did you learn from your negotiation competition experience, and how do you think you will use this learning experience in your law education and future career?

    One of the judges mentioned that if you ever finish a negotiation early, you should use that extra time to iron out any specific details of the agreement.

    I think it highlights the importance of being efficient with your time - a skill that is crucial for a career in law.

  3. Please describe the feeling of winning the negotiations competition?

    I was pleasantly surprised and I'm already looking forward to the regional competition.

  4. What advice would you offer to next year's Dentons Negotiations Competition teams?

    Find out what the other team truly wants; it may be different than what they are asking for.


Interviews with two of UAlberta's first year law students who competed in their first ever negotiations competition at the 2014 Dentons Negotiation Competition:


Sam Taylor (1L)

  1. Can you please describe your negotiation competition experience as a first year law student, and what you learnt from it?

    The competition was exciting! Even though we are quite new to the law world we were able to begin to apply the small amount of knowledge we had in a hands-on setting. In particular the problem itself and the research involved allowed us to get a thorough glimpse of what tort law is like in "real life" and how very broad the law can be. Everyone was incredibly understanding and I felt quite comfortable in front of the judges and of course, the reception afterwards was a nice bonus.

  2. How will you translate what you learnt from this negotiation competition experience into how you approach your studies at UAlberta Faculty of Law?

    The competition gave us a huge amount of insight into what kind of work goes into a negotiation and many of the intricate details and techniques of carrying one out. I was actually quite enamored of the negotiation process as it seems a very fair and quick way to go about resolving issues without ever stepping foot into court which is honestly an option I did not know was so popular. Although I was also just a tiny bit sad to learn the TV shows (and Harvey Dent) are really not at all accurate. Other than that I think the competition really outlined for me how very important the skills of thinking on your feet, and being particularly careful about how you react and how you say things, are to successful lawyers.

  3. If you did not win, what did you take away from the negotiation competition experience?

    It was fun in the end and it definitely helped me realize what many lawyers actually do. My finals and midterms will only be helped by the practice I had researching and preparing to apply the law.

  4. What advice would you offer to next year's first year law students hoping to take part in the Dentons Negotiation Competition?

    Make sure you talk to professors and previous students as much as possible and read at least one small negotiation book. Don't focus on the law when you're in there and above all, don't sweat it! The judges and everyone at Dentons were amazingly supportive; they have all been where you are, just do your best, have fun and soak up all the skill and knowledge you can!


Sarah Harvey (1L)

  1. Please describe your negotiation competition experience as a first year law student, and what you learnt from it?

    In practical terms I learnt a lot about the invasion of privacy tort, and the actions that were brought against individuals in the past. I also took away some key concepts that surround domain name negotiations such as "secondary use" and "confusingly similar". In a less practical sense, I got my feet wet again with team work, it has been a very long time since I had to do group work, and it was good to refresh those skills. Within the competition I had an opportunity to develop my public speaking skills, and also (obviously) have an opportunity to try my hand at negotiating.

  2. How will you translate what you learnt from this negotiation competition experience into how you approach your studies at UAlberta Faculty of Law?

    I think my experience here will carry over easily to my moot that is required in LRW (and other courses--potentially), and my researching/self-teaching skills (required for lots of classes).

  3. If you did not win, what did you take away from the negotiation competition experience?

    For me the biggest thing that I took away was just learning to move off a solution when it is not working. Try to divide your solution up into smaller constituent parts and then tackle small pieces. Always try to find areas you can make progress on, to keep the ball moving.

  4. What advice would you offer to next year's first year law students hoping to take part in the Dentons Negotiation Competition?

    DO IT! There is honestly nothing to lose. At the worst, you totally bomb and you learn a lot. There are no marks on the line and no real money so take this opportunity to try your skills out so you can be better prepared for when it really counts (i.e. LRW moot in semester 2).