25-27 June 2020 (Melbourne)

3 Days. 1 Day Masterclass. 8 Rounds.

1 Best Negotiator. 1 Master of the Games.

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest

(Benjamin Franklin)

Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits

(Anonymous)

... excitement was generating in the air

(Letty Scott, The Great Gatsby)

What to Expect

Expect a competition that is out of the [_ _ _]; a competition that will reveal the best law students in the pack.

That's right, law students. Law students only. (Sorry non-law students. It's a law school thing. You wouldn't get it.)

It's not an easy competition. It's hard stuff.

  • Not like the Jessup Moot hard, where you have to hibernate for a whole year and cross mental boundaries into the abyss of customary international law.
  • But hard like real-life high-stakes practice where you need to have your wits about you, superhuman discernment, persuasive powers and tact to come out on top. (Seriously, hedge notes won't save you. But don't worry, we'll spend the first day arming you with some high-voltage turbocharged tools to get you started.)

The competition will test and refine your flexible intelligence and transpersonal skills to excel in the commercial world. You'll learn and test your abilities to:

  • ... negotiate 20% more (just because you can).
  • ... position yourself (and your business) as the only option, not just another option.
  • ... apply a few psychology tricks and frameworks that can separate the winners from the losers in practice.
  • ... make clients happy, coming back for more.
  • ... turn hot water into wine and create value, even in seemingly dead-end disputes.
  • ... know when and how to negotiate time and logistics.
  • ... know what persuasion tactics will be most effective (and why) in different scenarios.
  • ... know the simple techniques to avoid fatal landmines in practice (if you miss these, expect serious setbacks).

Yup, that's some serious mental jujitsu even for law students. Are you game?

Competition Prizes

Prizes will be awarded at the Black Gala Ceremony, including:

  • 8 Finalists (awarded on the basis of overall point scores)
  • 1 Spirit of the Competition Award
  • 1 Noble Intentions Award (awarded on the basis of displays of character and ethical practice)
  • 1 Partner's Choice Award (selected at the discretion of a Partner panelist)
  • 1 Best Negotiator (awarded for excellence in the practice of negotiation)
  • 1 Master of the Games (awarded for demonstrated thinking outside the [_ _ _] to solve problems and find opportunities).

The Best Negotiator and The Master of the Games will each win a prize of $1000AU cold hard cash OR they can gamble their winning and choose to take a mystery envelope prize instead.

Note, prize winners can only win one prize category.

Itinerary Summary*

  • 25 June 2020 is Masterclass Day. Arrive by 9:30am to start the class. We'll take a break for lunch and finish by 4:30pm. There's a Day 1 Evening Social Event (Optional). Or you can prep for Day 2 - your call.
  • 26 June 2020 is Day 2 and the first day of the competition. You have 4 rounds (90 minutes each). There's a Day 1 Evening Social Event (Optional). Or you can prep for Day 2 - your call.
  • 27 June 2020 is Day 3 of the final day of the competition. You have 4 rounds (90 minutes each). We'll finish the competition with a Black Gala Ceremony at 7:00pm. Dress code is cocktail dress. Wear something nice.

* Full Itinerary Released to Confirmed Candidates

Hi, from Jamie (and the team).

Hi, I am Jamie and, together with the team, run an elite program on special intelligence in negotiation & conflict resolution practice called Dispute Intelligence². It's like the training in the Matrix but for real-life dispute resolution practice. Or as we say: it's wicked smart (without the wicked part).

This year we're on the lookout for exceptional law students who have what it takes to make the grade for our program.

And so we have established a university competition to find the best of the best law students, with the kind of flexible intelligence required to achieve elite levels of mastery and excellence in real-world practice.

When I was at university, I competed in so many moots and legal competitions to get an edge in the legal graduate market. Don't get me wrong, it did help. But so many of those competitions were a lot of fuss and not much of a challenge, nor did they prepare me for the reality of life as a commercial litigator or give me what I needed to become a bad-ass master of negotiations.

We can do better. I say: less fuss, more challenge, and more of a benefit to your graduation prospects and future career.

If you're serious about excelling in your legal career then you cannot afford to miss this competition. Or you could give it a miss ... you do not really care if other grads have an unfair advantage over you, do you?

"Gangbusters legal jujitsu. This is what I went to law school for. Truly lit AF."

- Future You

Earlybird deadline 1 April 2020

don't miss priority, bonuses and best prices

All the Answers to Your Burning Questions


Is there a deadline?

Earlybird applications close 1 April 2020 (11:59pm Melbourne time). This is no April Fools Day joke.

Late-bloomer applications open 1 April 2020 until 1 May 2020. You'll just miss out on a sweep of disappearing bonuses, priority.

Last-minute applications open 30 May 2020 to 20 June 2020. You pay double late-bloomer prices, get no bonuses and get the problem late. Very risky business.


What are the rules?

Competition rules published 7 April 2020.


What are the program details?

Program details published 7 April 2020.


How will this benefit me?

It's exclusive, by invitation only. You'll join a network of high-calibre law students to join forces with. There'll be time for networking in the competition period, but we'll also set up a forum for you to keep in touch with your new co-conspirators.

It's a unique experience and a great conversation-starter = you become more attractive as a job candidate.

It's an extra line on your CV, together with an impressive certificate and references.

It's going to give you a seriously unfair advantage in the pool of applicants come clerkship/graduate recruitment time.

Psssst ... you'll also learn advanced persuasion tactics that most practitioners don't learn until they make partner. (You'll want to keep this one to yourself!)


Can I bring a team?

Please do. Just make sure they're going to make you look good. Yeah?


Price/Packages

Apply as a team of 5 and only pay for 4 spots.

Accommodation packages available on request.

10 or more (team) $399

5 or more (team) $449

1 (individual) $499

Gala Dinner (extra) $99

Surcharge of $100 applies to each application received after 1 April 2020 11:59pm (Melbourne time).


Does GPA matter?

Yes and no.

GPA is a number and a signal. It means something but it's not the whole picture.

We're more interested in two things:

1) what's your character?

2) how do you think on your feet?

Because that says a lot more about you than any number ever will.


Does everyone who applies get in?

No. Only suitable candidates who have been vetted and approved to attend will be allowed entry.


Do you offer transport/accommodation?

Let's say no. But we can offer an accommodation package. Please email us if you want help with this.


Can I get sponsored?

Yes. Please do. Check with your university. Check with your student ambassadors or student guild even. They put money aside for these kinds of things. It just takes a little nagging from you to loosen those purse strings.


Do I need to prepare anything?

Yes. The first 4 round problems and round allocations are released 30 May 2020. Students are encouraged to plan and prepare for those problems. The second 4 round problems stay top secret until D-Day so we can see how you think on your feet.


Sponsorship/media contact

Email [email protected]. Note there is a backlog. We may take up to one week to reply. We will not reply to unsolicited nonsense emails, as you would expect.


Languages

The competition is run in English only. We do not offer language support.


Special needs

We will assume that you do not have special needs unless you bring these to our attention. Please include this in your application and give us a chance to take stock and determine if we can take on the responsibility to accommodate your special needs. We are inclined to accommodate special needs where we can but we do have practical constraints also.