The George Washington University Law School's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Board successfully hosted its third annual Schenck National Security Crisis Negotiation Competition on February 21 and 22, 2026. Now a signature event on the GW Law calendar, the competition continues to grow in both scope and stature, providing first-year students with an unparalleled opportunity to develop the negotiation and advocacy skills that define successful national security practitioners.
Under the exceptional leadership of Competition Co-Chairs Maegan Taback and Zoe Jensen, this year's competition saw record participation from students across both the full-time and evening divisions, along with robust engagement from the national security professional community.
"It was an honor to chair the third annual Schenck National Security Negotiation Competition," said Co-Chairs Taback and Jensen. "As previous competitors, we understand how this competition can be a catalyst for students recognizing their abilities and strengths outside of doctrinal classes, and even an interest in national security courses. Only at GW Law are we able to have a competition that emulates the National Security Council briefings and is judged by national security practitioners. We are incredibly grateful for the support from Dean Schenck, Professor Baxter, Dean Johnson, the ADR Board, and all professional judges. We look forward to continuing to foster this competition in our 3L year."
A Crisis Scenario Built for the Moment
This year's competition prompt was crafted by Neal Bonenberger, Julian Dorsey, and Madison Medley, reflecting the depth of student talent that has come to define this competition.
"This year's competition centered on a complex scenario involving a cross-border biological attack on the United States originating from an extremist organization based in Canada," the prompt writers explained. "Participants were tasked with representing one of three U.S. government departments, Defense, State, or Homeland Security, in a National Security Council meeting convened in the earliest hours of the crisis, as viral outbreaks emerged in major U.S. cities and officials raced to contain a rapidly evolving threat. The prompt required participants to navigate high-stakes homeland security decision-making alongside delicate alliance-management challenges with a key NATO partner, contested intelligence about attribution, and mounting public and political pressure. Teams needed to demonstrate not only negotiation skills, but also a nuanced understanding of the legal authorities, operational constraints, and strategic tradeoffs that shape U.S. national security policy under uncertainty and time pressure."
The scenario reflected the kind of multidimensional crises that define real-world national security work, a testament to the competition's commitment to experiential authenticity. This Year's Winners The third annual Schenck Competition produced an exceptional class of winners whose performance across the preliminary and final rounds earned recognition from a distinguished panel of national security practitioners.
- First Place — Overall Best Team: Becket Leinenweber & Max Sanchez
- Top Team — Department of Defense: Anaje Austin & Corina Tulevech
- Top Team — Department of State: Bryn Norrie & Divya Tulsiani
- Top Team — Department of Homeland Security: Becket Leinenweber & Max Sanchez
GW Law congratulates all of this year's winners and participants for their outstanding preparation and advocacy under pressure.
Developing Skills That Matter
The ADR Board, composed of dedicated 2L and 3L students, played an essential role throughout the competition, judging preliminary rounds, mentoring participants, and ensuring a seamless experience for all involved. For ADR Executive Board members Jessica Buchanan and Diana Metz Arguello, the competition represents something larger than any single event.
"Negotiations employ skills across the spectrum such as cooperation, advocacy, tolerance, adaptation, and communication, to name a few," they said. "The Board works hard to introduce and develop these skills that are otherwise not learned in the classroom. Mastery of them can be vital to a successful legal career, particularly in national security law, where complex, high-pressure situations often turn on effective negotiation skills."
Honoring Our Partners and Judges
The competition would not be possible without the generous endowment provided by Associate Dean for National Security, Cybersecurity, and Foreign Relations Law Lisa M. Schenck and her husband James Schenck. Their sustained investment in national security legal education at GW Law has allowed this competition to flourish and reach more students with each passing year. The entire GW Law community owes Dean Schenck a profound debt of gratitude for her vision and generosity.
David Johnson, assistant dean for advocacy programs and professorial lecturer in law, once again provided indispensable institutional support, and the competition benefited greatly from the continued guidance of Competition Director Professor Robert Baxter, whose leadership ensures that the Schenck Competition remains one of the most rigorous and professionally connected skills competitions in the country.
This year's final round was judged by an outstanding panel of national security practitioners, adjunct faculty, and GW Law alumni whose expertise brought credibility and real-world weight to the proceedings. Their willingness to invest time in the next generation of national security lawyers is a gift to our students and to the field, and GW Law is deeply grateful for their participation.
Looking Ahead: Get Involved in National Security Law
For students inspired by this year's competition, now is the time to deepen your engagement with national security law. GW Law offers a robust and growing curriculum in the field, with course registration for Fall 2026 opening in March. Students are encouraged to explore offerings in Cybersecurity Law and Policy, Military Justice, Space Law, Artificial Intelligence Law and Policy, Computer Crime, and more.
Students interested in the National Security, Cybersecurity, & Foreign Relations Law program can find more information on the program page or reach out to Associate Dean Lisa Schenck.
A Call to the GW Law Community
The Schenck National Security Crisis Negotiation Competition is more than a skills exercise. It is a demonstration of what GW Law, uniquely positioned in the heart of Washington, D.C., can offer its students. With each passing year, it becomes a more powerful gateway into the national security legal community.
We invite the broader GW Law community, national security professionals, and supporters of experiential legal education to get involved. Whether by serving as a judge, or supporting the National Security Law program financially, your participation helps shape the next generation of national security practitioners.
Those interested in volunteering as judges or supporting the competition and national security program are encouraged to reach out to Professor Baxter at rbaxter
law [dot] gwu [dot] edu (rbaxter[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu) or Associate Dean Schenck lschencklaw [dot] gwu [dot] edu (lschenck[at]law[dot]gwu[dot]edu) directly. The competition's continued growth depends on the generosity and engagement of practitioners and alumni who believe, as we do, that the future of national security law is being forged right here at GW Law.