1. 6/4/15, 10:40 AMASU team wins national mediation competition
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Jo-Ann Handy
Andrew High
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ASU team wins national mediation competition
Monday, April 23, 2012
Jo-Ann Handy and Andrew High, both third-year law students at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, recently were named
national champions of the American Bar Association Representation in Mediation Competition.
“When Andrew and Jo-Ann tried out for the team it was clear that they had natural ability and would be a formidable duo,” said Art
Hinshaw, Director of the College of Law’s Lodestar Dispute Resolution Program. “The question I always have when I see such raw
talent is whether they will work hard enough and whether we can coach them well enough to get them to elite status. Obviously they
worked hard enough and our coach, Kristine Reich (Class of 2008), was able to coach them well.
“After the final round the students just happened to speak with the professor who wrote the final problem,” Hinshaw said. “She said that
the team ‘was spot on.’ ”
Handy and High competed against nine other regional teams in the national rounds on April 21-22 in Washington, D.C. They swept the
judges’ ballots.
A second ASU team, Daniel Crane and Alex Anemone, both second-year law students, competed in the regional rounds and acted as
adversaries during practice rounds with Handy and High.
“Moot court programs are one of the most valuable experiences a student can have in law school, and we are incredibly proud of the
efforts and achievements of our student teams, faculty and community advisors, and staff who make our program one of the best in the
country,” said Dean Douglas Sylvester.
This is the second time an ASU team has won the championship. The first time was in 2006, with the team of Reich and Mikel
Steinfeld.
Reich is now a family law attorney at Donison Law Firm, PLLC, specializing in mediation, negotiated settlements and collaborative
divorce. She helped coach this year’s team, working with alumni Sam Efird, Patrick Gorman, Kirk Howell, Erika Mansur and Trish
Stuhan.
“Jo-Ann and Andrew demonstrated exemplary teamwork during the competition, which ultimately gave them the edge they needed to win,” Reich said. “Each could
spontaneously redirect the dialogue to their advantage. Jo-Ann was particularly skillful at active listening and understanding the nuances of human conflict. Andrew had a
knack for navigating the process and engaging the opposing party into problem solving.”