Liberty Law team negotiates its way to quarterfinals of ABA national competition

Liberty University School of Law advanced to the quarterfinals at the American Bar Association (ABA) National Negotiation Competition held at the ABA headquarters in Chicago from Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Liberty’s team of 3L Charlie Wilkie and 2L Arielle Knight finished in the top eight at the national tournament.

The Liberty duo won the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition in November and were one of 24 teams invited to nationals. Wilkie and Knight competed strongly at nationals and advanced to the quarterfinals, where the top eight teams competed head-to-head. In the quarterfinals, Liberty and Tulane University Law School each received a winning vote by the two-judge panel but lost in the points tiebreaker and narrowly missed advancing to the final four.

Professor of Law Joel Hesch coached the team and said the competition showcased the students’ hard work and talent.

“I could not be prouder of this team’s performance at nationals. Placing so high is a testament to these students’ incredible talent,” Hesch said. “They demonstrated exceptional communication skills, critical thinking abilities, and a deep understanding and mastery of the complexities of negotiations. I am so honored to have coached this team that represented Liberty so well.”

Wilkie said it was an honor to make it to the national round and land in the top eight at the tournament. He added that Liberty Law has a strong program for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which includes negotiation, arbitration, and mediation. Their student-led ADR Board and Liberty Law alumni were influential in Wilkie and Knight’s training and practice for nationals. Liberty Law 3L student Hannah Noeske, who won the national competition last year, helped the pair by giving insight and tips based on her own experience.

“We were very fortunate to have tremendous alumni connections who helped us prepare and spar for our rounds, as well as dedicated students who volunteered to prepare us for the tournament,” Wilkie said. “To be able to represent Liberty on the national stage is always something I have been so proud of, even since playing for (DII men’s hockey) from 2018-22. The opportunity to go to nationals and represent your school is such a thrill and gives the motivation to represent the amazing skill Liberty has to offer.”

Hesch said the judges consistently praised the Liberty team for their outstanding teamwork, creative solutions, and professionalism. “One judge commented it was the best teamwork they had witnessed,” he said.

Knight said their success is a testament to the practical education they receive at Liberty Law.

“Professor Joel Hesch and the rest of the Liberty Law faculty value practical skills, and they have passed many of these skills on to us as students,” she said. “That was evident when judges complimented us on acting like practicing attorneys rather than law students. Having the ‘real-world’ perspective that Liberty Law teaches was extremely valuable.”

This accomplishment closes Hesch’s 18-year career at Liberty Law, as he is set to retire in 2026, and this was his final season of coaching negotiations. Hesch has led Liberty Law teams to success many times, including winning the national negotiations title last year and placing second in the nation in 2015. He has coached teams to victory at many other ADR competitions across the country.

“The result this year was a great way to finish my career, but I have also thoroughly enjoyed coaching every team for the past 18 years,” he said. “Liberty Law is a very special place. The students are enthusiastic, hardworking, and a joy to mentor and coach. I could not be prouder of this team. They tied for the third best finish of my career at the ABA Negotiations Competition. More than all of these accolades, my greatest joy and privilege was touching the lives of hundreds of Liberty Law students as a coach and mentor.”

For 20 years, Liberty University School of Law has Trained Champions for Christ to enter their careers as practice-ready attorneys and legal professionals. With an innovative Lawyering Skills Program, Liberty Law is modeling for the academic world how to equip students to pursue excellence in their field while maintaining a commitment to biblical values. Liberty Law offers a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) with 12 areas of study; Juris Master (J.M.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs are offered online.