TOM NEWHOUSE MEDIATION COMPETITION
The 2026 Tom Newhouse Mediation Competition will be held on October 2-3, 2025.
WE ARE AT CAPACITY FOR THE COMPETITION AND REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
DATES FOR THE 2026 TOM NEWHOUSE MEDIATION COMPETITION
Lunch & Learn: Monday, September 14th at 12 PM in Room 220.
Registration Begins: Friday, September 18th at 5PM
Registration Ends: Thursday, September 24th at 5PM, or once 28 teams have signed up.
Competition Begins: Friday, October 2nd at 9:30 AM
Writing Components for Course Credit Due: October 9th by 11:59 PM
WITNESS AND PARTNER SEARCH
Participants are encouraged to find their own partner, but if you need assistance finding a partner, please reach out to the competition director Haleigh Trevino (hatrevin@CougarNet.UH.EDU).
HOW TO SIGN UP
Step 1
Pay for your team on PayPal, and save your confirmation number. There are 3 payment options: (1) $20 if both team members are also Advocates members, (2) $100 if both team members are non-Advocates members, or (3) $60 for half and half.
Please note in the payment for the names of each teammate and “Tom Newhouse Mediation Competition”
Step 2
Fill out this Google Form.
The Tom Newhouse Mediation Competition is held in honor of the late Tom Newhouse and in conjunction with the National Mediator Competition. Tom Newhouse Competition Teams are presented with several fact patterns that include a summary of their side’s position and interests, then given a limited time to present their position and work through the dispute with mediators (who are themselves competitors in the National Mediator Competition).
The fact patterns will be available at the start of the week leading up to the competition. All necessary information is available in the fact pattern, and no outside research is required to understand the problem. All preliminary rounds for the Competition are held on one day.
The entire competition takes place via Zoom. Zoom details will be shared with participants prior to the start of the competition
The Competition is open to all UHLC students. Competition Teams consist of two UHLC students, one serving as the attorney and the other as the client (alternating each round). Only a limited number of teams can be accepted to compete, so early application is highly encouraged. Competition rounds are judged by volunteer lawyers, mediators and judges from the Houston legal community, who may offer feedback to the teams after their round is over. Teams are scored on the basis of the students’ case analysis, creativity, presentation, expression of the client’s goals, skills of compromise, and professional courtesy.
COURSE CREDIT & PRIZES
UHLC students can earn 1 hour of non-substantive competition credit by (1) making a good-faith effort in the Competition and (2) completing and timely submitting the writing assignment for the Competition that is described in the Competition Rules.
For the Competition Teams that advance to the Final Round there may be a possible cash prize.
Click here to complete a Competition Credit Petition.
COMPETITION APPLICATIONS
Applicant teams will be accepted for the competition based on the order in which their application has been received and upon the Competition Director’s confirmation that both team members have paid the competition fee ($10 for each Advocates Member, $50 for each non-member). Interested students must apply with a team member using the online application, which will be available after the second presentation.
QUESTIONS?
FAQ’s may be answered on the slides below.
If you still have further inquiries, email Haleigh Trevino, Director of the Tom Newhouse Mediation Competition.