Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee Intrascholastic Client Counseling Competition

Second- and third-year students may participate in the annual Naman Howell Smith and Lee Intrascholastic Client Counseling Competition.

The competition gives students the opportunity to develop effective and efficient interviewing and counseling skills. Students must also discuss practical issues with their clients such as confidentiality, fee arrangements, engagement letters, conflicts of interest, professional and ethical conduct, general litigation procedures, and methods of alternative dispute resolution.

In each round of the competition, teams of two students interview and counsel a "new client" with an undisclosed problem.

The students are judged on their ability to establish a rapport with the client, ferret out relevant facts, identify potential non-legal and legal courses of action that are consistent with the client's objectives, effectively explain options to the client, and answer questions and concerns of the client.

The judges, all lawyers and counselor, give valuable feedback and advice to competitors. The top teams progress to the semifinal and final rounds. Students who participate in the intraschool competition may be selected as members of Baylor's Regional Client Counseling Competition team.