Thomas Jefferson School of Law Students Place Third in California Bar Environmental Negotiation Competition

SAN DIEGO, CA, 3/24/17 – On March 10th, Thomas Jefferson School of Law students Andrei-Vladimir Dumitrescu (3L) and Kally Mullett (3L) travelled to San Francisco, CA to compete in the annual California Bar Environmental Negotiation Competition hosted by Golden Gate University.

This annual competition is known for its complex fact patterns featuring complicated Environmental Law statutes and realistic disputes. The competition is typically judged by prominent attorneys from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), federal and state court judges, and past competitors.

The competition hosts 20 teams from various schools. Each team participates in two preliminary rounds, followed by an announcement of the Top 4 teams and a final round. In the first round, Dumitrescu and Mullett represented a fictitious version of the EPA bringing a claim against a public school for environmental hazards. The team received tremendous praise from the panel of EPA attorney-judges for their collaborative approach and control of the negotiation which ultimately led to a mutually beneficial deal for both parties.

In the second round, Dumitrescu and Kally represented the aforementioned school district facing a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) claim by residents in the community. While they were unable to reach a deal, the team received praise from judges specializing in CEQA claims for their adaptive strategy and knowledge of the relevant law that allowed them to maintain leverage and a strong bargaining position.

After a suspenseful waiting period, Dumitrescu and Mullett were announced as finalists in the competition. The team had less than an hour to learn a new set of facts, law, and scope of authority for the final round against UCLA. Judges in the final round commended both teams for their performance in light of an extremely complicated problem, and noted Thomas Jefferson School of Law's creative approach to several issues.

"This was probably the most demanding Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) competition we've seen just in terms of the amount of law involved and the complexity of the fact patterns. Receiving feedback from EPA and CEQA attorneys was an invaluable experience, and I highly recommend this competition for anyone interested in environmental law," said Andrei-Vladimir Dumitrescu (3L).

"The environmental law negotiation competition was a fun and practical insight into the EPA and CEQA. The competition is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in negotiation theory, particularly future environmental lawyers," said Kally Mullett (3L).

Thomas Jefferson School of Law placed 3rd overall in the competition, with University of California, Los Angeles and Santa Clara University placing 2nd and 1st, respectively.


The mission of Thomas Jefferson School of Law is to provide an outstanding legal education for a nationally-based, diverse student body in a collegial and supportive environment with attention to newly emerging areas of law, particularly those related to technological development, globalization and the quest for social justice. Located in Downtown San Diego, Thomas Jefferson School of Law has evolved into an innovative, cutting-edge law school, devoted to the individual needs and success of its students. More information is available at www.tjsl.edu.

—- END —-

CONTACT: Thomas Jefferson School of Law Director of Marketing and Communications Edgar Hopida, 619-961-4314 or 619-913-0719, ehopida@tjsl.edu