What is the LawMeets® 2020 M&A Boot Camp?
The Boot Camp is an online program to teach deal skills to law students. Students work in teams to draft, mark-up and negotiate an acquisition agreement. In the simulation, they interact with clients, senior lawyers and opposing teams via video conference, email and telephone.
Why participate?
LawMeets® has developed simulation exercises for aspiring deal lawyers for over a decade. We are running this Boot Camp to provide a high-value, practical learning experience that offers exposure to an important area of practice – mergers and acquisitions. We are concerned about the impact the Covid-19 health crisis may have on the summer experiences that will be available to the next generation of deal lawyers. While not a substitute for the “hands on” experiences that a summer clerkship offers in normal times, the Boot Camp will expose participants to M&A concepts, forms of agreement, and most importantly, senior practitioners and their “know how”.
The LawMeets® M&A Boot Camp is being presented in association with the M&A Committee of the ABA Business Law Section. Hotshot is providing free access to its library of instructional videos to all teams. Several law firms are also providing both manpower and financial support. Scores of senior M&A practitioners are volunteering to serve as experts to observe and review team performances and provide feedback.
What is the schedule?
The Boot Camp will be held this summer and has two phases – Exercises and Finals.
During the Exercises, all teams will participate in four modules, each lasting two weeks, focused on different parts of an acquisition agreement. In each module, teams will be asked to draft and mark-up provisions in an acquisition agreement. They will have meetings with their client. The culmination of each module will be a simulated negotiation between two teams and observed by an expert M&A practitioner. Each team will receive feedback from the expert on its drafting and negotiation skills.
Each module will kick off with an “all hands” webinar in which participants will learn the basics needed to approach each exercise. Background resources, Hotshot’s library of instructional videos, and other materials on topics relevant to the exercise will also be provided to all teams.
The top performing teams in the Exercises will be invited to participate in the Finals. These teams will participate in a series of elimination rounds over the course of two weeks. These rounds will be performed before a panel of senior M&A practitioners. All teams will be invited to watch these rounds and participate in the post-round discussions with the experts.
The first of the four Exercises will open on May 30, 2020. The Finals will be held from July 25 – August 7, 2020.
Who can participate?
Any student pursuing a law degree (J.D., LL.B., LLM) at an accredited law school in the US or Canada may participate. Selected students from other countries may also be invited to participate. Teams must consist of two students. Teams are NOT required to be from the same school.
Do we need a coach?
Yes, each team is required to have a coach. A coach must be a practitioner or law faculty member with significant M&A experience. In addition to agreeing to serve as a resource to a team, each coach is asked to serve as an expert during two or more of the Exercises.
Teams should approach the relevant faculty members at their law schools for recommendations of coaches. If a team cannot identify a coach, LawMeets® and our sponsors may be able to assist.
Experienced M&A practitioners who are interested in coaching a team or serving as an expert are asked to complete this form or to contact Professor Karl Okamoto at Contact@lawmeets.com.
Can we get school credit? Are there prizes?
LawMeets® does not provide academic credit for its programs. Several law schools, however, have provided academic credit for participation in past LawMeets® programs. Students should consult with their law school.
All participants who complete the four Exercises in a satisfactory manner will receive a certificate of completion. Prizes will be awarded to teams who participate in the Finals.
How do I apply? What does it cost?
We recognize that it may be difficult to know at this point what this summer will bring. We will make every effort to accommodate every team that applies. So that we can plan and arrange for adequate resources, we ask you to indicate your interest on this form as soon as possible and in any event by May 15, 2020.
Participating teams will be asked to pay a fee of $100 per team.
Questions? Please email Professor Karl Okamoto at Contact@lawmeets.co