"I definitely think there's so much that can be taken from law school that can be applied in a business setting," said Leibner, still experiencing post-win jitters. Upon entering graduate school, Leibner desired to pursue a juris doctorate degree while a developing solid background in business. The JD/MBA, a joint degree program which allows a student to obtain two degrees in four years instead of five, was exactly what he was seeking.
"Just the knowledge of certain laws, and having a substantive understating of the law, enables you to think more analytically and identify potential issues," he said of the skills that gave him and his team an upper hand over the competition, which included Florida Atlantic University, the University of Florida and Florida International University.
His teammates included business students Jordan Barrocas, Jonathan Brackman, and Robert Fishman. This is the third year in a row the University of Miami has taken home the team trophy. This year's win also came with a $5,000 cash prize.
The ACG Cup is a case study competition that allows for students to delve into the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity. In order to win, students have to be able to build compelling cases that offer a unique evaluation along with strategic advice to a panel of seasoned M&A professionals.
This year, Leibner brought his legal leverage to the competition with cases that required having background knowledge about both tax and bankruptcy. Nevertheless, he says it was truly a team effort.
"We were able to benefit from each of our individual strengths in order to create a well rounded team."
Not new to competition, this JD/MBA student also won the Charles C. Pappy Advanced Moot Court competition two years ago. The combination of both degrees proved to be the best of both worlds for Leibner who admits that pursuing the joint degree, in correlation with competitions, helped him put his studies into practice.
After graduating this May, Leibner will work as an Associate for Gray Robinson in Fort Lauderdale.
JD/MBA Student Puts Interdisciplinary Studies to the Test and Wins ACG Cup
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL 33124
305-284-2211