National transactional law competition offers exposure to deal work, drafting
By participating in a national transactional law competition, third-year law student Lauren Stahl gained an understanding of deal work and improved her drafting abilities.
Stahl competed in the UCLA Transactional Law Competition in February, as part of a team of four students representing the buyer side of a mock business transaction. Stahl’s team placed third overall for teams representing the buyer side.
“I felt prepared going into my summer internship and comfortable doing drafting assignments as well as understanding what was going on during client calls,” Stahl said. “I cannot think of a better experiential course that prepares students for transactional practice.”
The UCLA contest was one of several national competitions to welcome students from the University of Kansas School of Law this spring. KU Law teams also participated in the Wayne State Jaffe Transactional Law Competition and the invitation-only The Closer, hosted by Baylor Law School. The Polsinelli Transactional Law Center at KU supports student participation in national transactional law competitions.
Stahl shared her experience with the Transactional Law Competition for a Q&A.
What interested you in enrolling in the competition course?
I wanted more exposure to deal work and drafting after my experience at my summer internship and other transactional courses.
Are there skills you developed or improved through this experience?
My knowledge of key terms, provisions and concepts grew tremendously. I also became a better drafter, negotiator, and communicator.
How do you think this experience will impact the rest of your time in law school or the start of your career?
Overall, the practical experience of the competition not only prepared me for my internship this summer but also for other transactional classes at KU. This experience gives students a basic understanding of what deal work and transactional practice looks like. With this experience under my belt, I felt prepared for all my assignments this summer and my future career.
What would you say to law students considering enrolling in the Transactional Law Competition course?
If you are interested in having a career in a transactional practice area, the Transactional Law Competition should be your first class to enroll in. This experience will allow you to develop skills and a baseline knowledge for deal work and any transaction.
— By Margaret Hair
This post is the second in a series highlighting hands-on learning opportunities at KU Law. Read a Q&A with 3L Peyton Weatherbie about the Elder Law Field Placement Program. Stay tuned for more student experiences in clinics, field placements and experiential learning programs.