Cumberland School of Law Ranked 8th in the Nation for Alternative Dispute Resolution and Moot Court Training by the American Bar Association

Published on August 26, 2024 by Morgan Black

At Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, students are trained to use their distinct and diverse voices to effectively represent their clients and change lives. The law school has long been nationally recognized for trial advocacy and is now joining the national ranks for training in the alternative dispute resolution and moot court spaces.

In August 2024, the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division published its ranking of the top 10 law school competition teams in arbitration, negotiation, client counseling, mediation and appellate advocacy. Cumberland School of Law ranked 8th in the nation for the 2023-24 competition season out of 197 ABA accredited law schools.

To compile the ranking, the ABA awards points to law schools that host and compete in regional and national competitions.

male and female law student standing outside

During the year, Cumberland School of Law competition teams participated in all five of the ABA’s regional competitions. The National Negotiation Team sent three teams to their region, with one team receiving the top honor of Regional Co-Champion. The National Client Counseling Team sent three teams to their region and placed two teams in the final round, earning second and third place honors. The National Arbitration Team sent two teams to their region, with one team competing as a semifinalist. The National Mediation Team and National Moot Court Team sent two teams to their respective regions. Additionally, Cumberland secured two points for hosting a region in negotiation and mediation.

“We challenged ourselves at the start of the 2023-24 school year to work towards breaking into the ABA ranking,” said Sara Williams, JD ’06, visiting director of advocacy programs. “In true Cumberland fashion, the students and coaches who lead our ADR and moot court teams exceeded my expectations by premiering in the No. 8 position. I am thankful for the time and commitment of our students and volunteer coaches who were dedicated to continuing to expand Cumberland's advocacy footprint.”

large group of law students standing outside

This ABA ranking adds to a repertoire of recognition for excellence in advocacy training and is the fifth top 10 national ranking that Cumberland has received since April 2024. It ranked 6th for trial advocacy by U.S. News & World Report in April and 5th in the Trial Advocacy Gavel Rankings (2nd overall since 2019) in July. During July, the Princeton Review ranked Cumberland 6th for Best Quality of Life and 9th for Greatest Resources for Women.

Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.