![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www2.stetson.edu\/law\/docket\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n[L-R] Erica and Lexie<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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A bit earlier Thursday, at 3:50 a.m., the Merhige team arrived at Tampa International Airport to board their 6:00 a.m. flight to Richmond, Virginia. The Robert R. Merhige, Jr. National Environmental Negotiation Competition is a longstanding environmental negotiation competition hosted by the University of Richmond Law School, which saw a four-year hiatus following the pandemic. Stetson was very excited to see this competition return last spring, and this year was our first time back since 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2026 fact pattern had 16 teams across the nation negotiate an 8-million gallon per day water use agreement between an AI company and the government, which included negotiations on the water rates, environmental impacts, and conservation efforts. After two preliminary rounds, BOTH Stetson teams advanced to quarterfinals \u2013 Team Kaine, Dominique Palka and Ethan Garcia, and Team Wu, Mckenzie Colavecchio, team captain, and Erika Leeper. Mckenzie and Erika were first-time competitors and advanced out of the preliminaries as the No. 1 seed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Surprisingly, Team Kaine and Team Wu received opposite sides for the quarterfinal rounds, so after a small celebratory dinner in the hotel room, the team split off for the night. The next day, Team Kaine did not shake that winning feeling \u2013 they advanced to semifinals, to finals, and for the first time since 2014, Stetson WON the Robert R. Merhige, Jr. National Environmental Negotiation Competition! We are also ecstatic that Team Wu won the \u201cBest Dressed\u201d superlative for the competition! The team was coached by DR alumna, Mary Samarkos, Esq. and Professor Sy-Woei Hao.<\/p>\n\n\n\n