The Environmental and Natural Resources Law Club (ELC) argued its way to first place of 24 teams at the 12th annual UBC Environmental Law Group Negotiation Competition.
The mid-November win was all the more special as it was the first time a non-UBC team left with first place.
The competition was a role play revolving around three fictitious groups: the Government of Southern Columbia, the Fish ‘R’ Us (FRU) fishery, and the community grassroots organization Coalition Against Farmed Fish (CAFF).
Teams consisted of two people, with each team assigned to one of the three fictitious groups. Teams played in two 25-minute rounds before scores were tallied and the top three advanced to the final. The three finalists—TRU and two teams from the University of Victoria—were then given a new fact pattern based on the original.
“Negotiators had to navigate the interests of opposing teams while exercising restraint, judgement and tact to arrive at a favourable outcome on as many issues as possible, said Danielle Oliver, who along with Dustin Ellis, made up the winning TRU team.
Cast in the role of the Fish ‘R’ Us fishery, “We impressed the judges and the spectators with a winning blend of understated eloquence and a steadfast adherence to the stand we had taken,” Oliver said of the championship performance.
Practising lawyers served as judges.
All TRU teams
TRU sent six teams to the competition and they were:
- Grace McDonnell (first year law) and Vivian Wilson (second year law)
- Jessica Stutz (2) and Steven Shergill (1)
- Alanna McCallion (2) and Fabjola Gera (2)
- Claire Butler (3) and Winona Woo (3)
- Brianna Meyer (2) and Salona Nainaar (2)
- Dustin Ellis (3) and Danielle Oliver (3)
