University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law students Carleigh Kude ‘28 and Seraphina Bedoyan ‘27 won first place out of 20 teams at the Regional American Bar Association Representation in Mediation Competition, held virtually on Jan 23-25.

The students will be advancing to compete in the national championship, which will be held March 27-28 at Chapman University Fowler School of Law in Orange, California.

“The competition was fierce, and I am proud of our performance. This win was possible because of the work of our team. Our practice sessions create real space to reflect, share research, and sharpen skills of attunement so that we can think quickly, advocate effectively, and discern what isn't being said in order to find ways to move forward with an opposing side. I look forward to representing McGeorge at nationals,” Kude said.

Logan Wilkinson ‘26, PJ Sandhu ‘27, Kude, and Bedoyan participated in the regional competition. The teams were coached by Adjunct Professor Claudia Wrazel.

“Participating in this competition was rewarding not only because of our victory, but also because I developed skills I will carry into practice. Most notably, I gained experience in active listening, effective advocacy, and real-time problem-solving. It truly challenged me to grow as a future attorney, and I’m thrilled to keep building those skills as we advance to nationals representing McGeorge at Chapman University this March,” Bedoyan said.

Attorneys and mediators from Denver, Colorado; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Thailand served as virtual judges for the competition.

According to Wrazel, the judges gave positive feedback. “They noted that our team members were impressively well prepared, that Carleigh was ‘unflappable’ throughout, and that Seraphina ‘had a calm, down-to-earth way that made the other side know they were in safe hands.’ High praise indeed,” Wrazel said.

Competitors participated in two rounds on Saturday, which were based on real court filings. The first round concerned a dispute over who should get writing credits for a popular TV show, and the second round examined whether a sports paddle manufacturer had been wrongly denied certification for its product.

The final round on Sunday, based on real court filings, concerned a jewelry vendor whose inventory was stolen at a trade show. 

“It was rewarding watching the two of them maintain their poise, manage the discussion effectively, and strike the right balance between empathy and advocacy to secure a good outcome for the client. They will make excellent mediators,” Wrazel said.