The winners of Harvard Law School’s 56th annual Williston Contracts Competition were announced on April 28. The competition, sponsored by the Board of Student Advisers and organized and run by Harvard Negotiators, offers first-year students the opportunity to practice negotiation and contract drafting.
This year’s scenario featured the merger of two mining companies, River Red and Mountain Blue. The negotiation problem was inspired by a recent takeover battle between the Australian mining giant BHP Billiton and its London-based competitor Rio Tinto. Participant teams were assigned to represent one of the two companies. After negotiations, students wrote a 12-page contract and an explanatory memorandum to their clients
Eighteen teams of students participated in the competition. Awards went to:
Best contract for River Red: Brian Kozlowski ’11 and Neil Chatani ’11
Best contract for Mountain Blue: Jay Schweikert ’11 and David Carpman ’11
Best representation of River Red: Amir Ali ’11 and Taylor Ashley ’11
Best representation of Mountain Blue: Ian Brooks ’11, Danielle Mirabal ’11 and Sarah Jelsema ’11
The winners receive cash prizes, and their names will join those of past years’ winners on a plaque in Langdell library.
Matej Sapak ’09 created the negotiation problem and chaired the competition. Clinical Professor Robert Bordone ’97, Director of the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program, supervised the competition and the creation of the problem. Kyle Glover ’10, Johanna Schwartz ’10 and Harry Drozdowski ’09 served as judges.