The Lady Margaret Hall Law Society recently celebrated the success of its inaugural Alternative Dispute Resolution Competition, a first for an Oxford college.
The final negotiation of the competition concerned a dispute between a producer and distributor, arising when spoilt wine was sent to the market and rejected by the buyer. The teams had to navigate various legal issues, including whether and to what extent the producer bore liability for the loss suffered by the distributer, while simultaneously seeking to advance their complex commercial interests. These included maintaining a good working relationship with the other team, ensuring that collective steps were taken to repair reputation and ensuring that the existing contract was amended in light of existing and forecasted market conditions. This dual aspect, which ran throughout the competition, made for a very interesting and exciting alternative to a traditional moot.
We are very grateful for the support of our generous sponsors, Herbert Smith Freehills, and our honorary judge, Jonathan Lloyd-Jones. We would also like to thank all our competitors, judges and organisers and look forward to expanding the competition in Trinity Term next year.
More information on the LMH Law Society can be found here