National Student Negotiation Competition

Download the National Student Negotiation Competition Rules 2024 here.

In the regional heats, teams will compete in two scenarios, both of which are between two parties.  One of the scenarios will have an active legal claim or dispute between the parties, and the other scenario will not. Twelve teams will progress to the National Final.

In the final, teams will participate in three new scenarios. One of the scenarios will be a group scenario between three or four teams and the other two scenarios will be two-way negotiations.  At least one of the scenarios in the final will have an international context.

As in previous years, the students will be judged on their participation in fictional negotiation scenarios.  Scoring is done on a ranking basis, with additional categorised scoring criteria. This is to ensure fairness.

Teams will be ranked on their performance by professional lawyers, business people and academics, as well as being scored in 8 categories.

These categories are:

• Negotiating Planning
• Teamwork
• Relationship between the Negotiating Teams
• Information Gathering
• Bargaining
• Outcome
• Negotiation Ethics
• Self-Analysis

CEDR is providing all entered students with a webinar on the skills of negotiation. This is designed to give all students, whatever their level of experience, the opportunity to hone their skills in advance of the competition.

CEDR will also be offering a free day’s training session in negotiation for the Finalists of the Competition to allow them to develop advanced skills; further support will be offered to the winning team to prepare them for the International Competition.

• The competition is open to all students currently studying for an undergraduate, postgraduate or professional qualification in law or an aligned area at an institution in England and Wales. Students studying in Northern Ireland and Scotland are not eligible, as separate competitions are run in those countries.
• The competition is open to teams of two law students.
• Teams must be entered on behalf of their institution and must be endorsed accordingly.
• Students who have previously reached the National Final may not re-enter the competition.
• Students may also not enter the competition on more than two occasions (regardless of outcome).
• Each institution may enter up to two teams for the competition, with each team consisting of two members.