President's Cup 2025 - The Final

Celebrating Excellence at the President’s Cup Negotiation Competition

On Monday, 8th December, Nottinghamshire Law Society hosted the President’s Cup Negotiation Competition at Gateley Legal, showcasing the exceptional talent and professionalism of the next generation of legal advocates.

The evening was a true celebration of advocacy and negotiation skills, with two outstanding finalists taking centre stage:

• Benedict Wills – Geldards LLP
• James Sanderson – Browne Jacobson

Both competitors demonstrated creativity, clarity, and professionalism as they represented their fictional clients — pop group Leipzig Kiosks and cruise company Thalasso. Their ability to balance client interests while striving for the best contractual outcomes impressed everyone in attendance.

The negotiation competition kicks off with the two finalists setting the agenda for their meetings, all within a 10-minute window. The judges then listen to their presentations, where the contestants highlight the essential topics they think should be tackled during the negotiation, which extends for an additional 40 minutes.

The competition was judged by an esteemed panel of legal professionals and academics, including:

• HHJ Watson
• Marie Dancer, Nottinghamshire Law Society President
• Francesca Townsend, last year’s President’s Cup winner
• Helen Dunn, Chair of the Education & Training Committee
• Alongside Helen Webster, Prof. Jane Jarman, Prof. Jane Ching, and Michelle Foster

Their insights and feedback provided invaluable learning opportunities for all participants. The judges watch the negotiation closely, evaluating the finalists on their performance and approach. They allocate scores in the categories:

• Clarity of expression, appearance and demeanour
• Response to questioning
• Thoroughness of preparation
• Degree of persuasiveness
• The X Factor in performance

After a 40-minute session packed with negotiation, inquiry, and the skillful application of persuasive tactics, the two finalists demonstrated equal proficiency in their negotiation skills. The contest was once again incredibly tight between the finalists. Nonetheless, following careful deliberation, Benedict Wills was announced as the champion of the 2025 competition!

Congratulations to both finalists for their outstanding showcase of competitive negotiation abilities.

Both participants will receive cash awards, but Francesca will proudly hold the prestigious President's Cup for the coming year!

We extend our gratitude to all those who submitted entries, the Education & Training Committee for organising the competition, the panel of judges for the final round, and Gateley Legal for hosting this esteemed event.