LEX CARIBBEAN CLIENT INTERVIEWING COMPETITION

The annual regional Lex Caribbean Client Interviewing Competition between Council of Legal Education Law Schools, took place at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago on January 29, 2016. This regional competition is crafted along the lines of the Louis M. Brown International Client Interviewing and Counselling Competition at which law students compete in interviewing and counseling skills centered on a simulated law office interview.

First year students from the Eugene Dupuch, Hugh Wooding and Norman Manley Law Schools participate in the competition.

In November 2015, team EDLS was selected via an internal competition with the top three students Mr. Rashied Edgecombe (counsel), Mr. Jason Rahming (counsel) and Ms. Ciji Smith as the reserve/instructing winning the coveted spots. Under the direction of coach Clive Guy, Senior Tutor II, the team immediately begun training. They reviewed videos and participated in live training exercises on a regularly scheduled basis, including weekends. They were also video recorded during exercises so that they could review and critique their performance. Advice and direction also came from Principal Tonya Bastian Galanis and Mrs. Dwana Davis-Imhoff (Tutor).

In January, the team travelled to Trinidad for the competition. In Trinidad they met with Mme. Justice Allyson Waterman-Ramkerrysingh, a Judge of the Family Court, were able to visit the family courts and also had an opportunity to sit in on a live matter in the court. Coach Clive Guy is grateful for the experiences afforded the students, Mr. Guy says. “M’Lady took the students to her chambers where they spent the afternoon with her going over the issues that arose and the law in relation thereto. I must publicly thank M’Lady for her kind efforts and hard work with team EDLS.” The students were fully prepared for the competition.

On the day of the competition law students worked in teams of two, to interview and advise a ‘client’. Their management of the interview was judged according to agreed criteria including matters such as establishing a good working relationship with the client, recognizing and handling the legal problems, ethical and personal issues including cost, and offering appropriate advice. Team EDLS made a valiant effort in the face of a rather difficult and combative client. Although the team placed third, the competition the experience was invaluable.

Commenting on the overall experience, Jason Rahming said the following, “Take every opportunity to participate in the mooting activities”, Mr. Wells said, “… they will stretch you!”   And so, despite my fear of public speaking, I took up the challenge.   Mr. Wells was right!  I am a better public speaker and generally more confident in my “delivery” for having participated in the Lex Caribbean Client Interviewing Competition. “

The judges commended Team EDLS on their professionalism and the fact that they looked and sounded the part. They were also complimented on their knowledge of the law and their ability to give clear and proper advice to the client. “It was a wonderful learning experience,” said Coach Guy. “The judges felt that the team lost ground by allowing the client to take too much control of the interview and not fully dealing with some of the issues raised by the client. All in all, they were highly complimented and congratulated for giving of themselves.”

“I wish to thank the students for giving me the opportunity to work with them and to Principal Galanis for her continued support of these efforts. I also wish to thank  my fellow faculty members for their kind assistance and the student body of the EDLS for their great support for team EDLS,” Coach Guy said.

We look forward to next year’s competition at the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica and to resounding success as champions thereat.