Mediation Team Sweeps Top Spots at IIMT

The College Mediation team ended its fall season on top, taking first and second place in Team Mediation at the International Intercollegiate Mock Mediation Championship Tournament (IIMT). This is the third consecutive year that Principia has taken home a first-place trophy in the Team or Top Mediator categories. Principia also earned third in Team Advocacy along with a wide swath of individual awards.

This year’s in-person tournament was hosted on Principia’s home turf and featured fierce competition from nearly a dozen university teams, including University of San Diego, University of Texas—Dallas, University of Dubuque, and Maharishi International University.

Chris Ajuoga, Ibukun Dawodu, and Isaac Oribariho—all new to the team this season—all placed in the top ten in individual awards. Ajuoga teamed up with co-captain Avery Smith to win fourth place in individual advocacy. Oribariho made a strong showing with eighth in individual mediation and Dawodu clinched tenth in the same category. Team veteran Grace Pécheck was awarded fourth place in individual mediation.

Co-captain Luke Nutwell wasn’t sure that he’d be able to participate in this tournament, but he formed a last-minute bye team to contribute to the team’s top mediation awards and placed fifth in individual advocacy. The senior, who plans to attend law school next year, is certain what he practices in this tournament is directly applicable to his future career. “I’ve learned a lot about negotiation and client counseling,” says Nutwell. “I think these skills will be very valuable for me going forward.”

The team is currently preparing for a spring mediation tournament in Florida, as well as the International Law School Tournament in Bologna, Italy, in March.