The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) teams at Maryland Carey Law enjoyed an exceptionally successful year, with students earning top scores and prestigious placements across five major competitions during the spring semester. Their achievements reflect not only individual excellence, but also the strength of the school’s dispute resolution program and the dedication of its faculty and alumni coaches.
ABA Negotiation National Competition
After advancing from the ABA Negotiation Regional Competition in October, the team of Adryena Flores and Phylicia Childs represented Maryland Carey Law at the ABA Negotiation National Competition, held at ABA Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Accompanied by their coach, adjunct professor Barry Gogel, the team competed in the initial round on January 31, 2026.
Their strong performance propelled them into the quarterfinal round, finishing the national competition among the top eight teams nationwide—an outstanding achievement at the highest level of interscholastic negotiation competition.
ABA Representation in Mediation Competition
This virtual competition, held in late January, challenged students to perform as attorneys and clients in a mediation setting alongside a professional mediator serving as the neutral. Two Maryland Carey Law ADR teams competed in the regional round.
The team of Aryana Ravery and Liat Klopouh advanced to the regional final and finished the day with an impressive third‑place overall ranking. The team of Blaise Gardineer and Liliana Albanese earned the highest team score in the first round of the competition and ultimately placed sixth overall. Both teams were coached by ADR Team alumnus Michael Goldberg ’14.
Tulane Professional Football Negotiation Competition
Alen Dzaferagic, Connor Engle, and Lindsey Rosenbloom represented the ADR Team at the annual Professional Football Negotiation Competition hosted by Tulane University. The event brought together 57 teams of law students and professionals from the football industry, creating one of the most competitive negotiation environments of the year.
Although the team did not advance to the final rounds, they consistently received strong, positive feedback from judges, reflecting their professionalism and negotiation skills. The team was coached by ADR Team alumni Justin Meltzer ’21 and Nick Vogt ’19.
National Black Law Students Association
Nelson Mandela International Negotiation Competition
Maryland Carey Law’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) ADR Team sent two teams to the National BLSA Convention in Portland, Oregon, where they competed against 20 teams from across the country—and swept both first and second place.
The team of Alexis Fletcher ’27 and Anaiyah White ’27 earned second place, while Julian Amaya ’27 and Quiana Snowden took first place overall. Julian was also honored with the Best Individual Negotiator Award during the preliminary round.
The teams were coached by alumni Alex Montanio ’16 and Kennedy Hagens ’24, with significant contributions from Tamia Morris ’23 and LeSabre Hubbard (Howard Law alum). As the BLSA ADR program celebrates its 10th anniversary, it continues to benefit from the generous support of the law firm Gordon Feinblatt.
International ADR Law School Mediation Tournament
The ADR Team concluded its competition season at the International Academy of Dispute Resolution (INADR) Mediation Tournament in Chicago, Illinois. The tournament featured 26 teams representing 11 countries across three continents.
Maryland Carey Law was represented by Sophia Skorup ’26, Madeline Alvarenga ’27, Travis Dover ’27, Logan Marx ’26, Sara Hailemichael ’26, and Susie Fan ’26. The team of Sophia, Logan, and Sara advanced to the semifinal round in both the attorney‑client and mediator categories.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Sophia and Logan were recognized as the third‑place advocate/client team out of 78 pairings, and Sophia, Logan, and Sara earned fifth place overall in the mediation category. The teams were coached by alumni Toby Guerin ’02 and Paige Bellamy ’23, with additional support from Tyler Fultz ’25, Melissa LaMotta ’25, Melissa Sobrepera ’25, and Jaclyn Fonteyne ’19.
Congratulations to all of our students and coaches on an extraordinary year of achievement. Their success highlights the excellence, collaboration, and professionalism that define Maryland Carey Law’s dispute resolution programs.