The law school's moot court and mock trial teams have enjoyed yet another successful year in regional, national, and international competitions. From the Niagara Team's second-place finish in Toronto, to the First Amendment Team's Best Brief Award at Vanderbilt, the success of the our moot court teams exemplifies the law school's commitment to producing prominent legal oralists. The entire law school community congratulates all of the members of the various moot court teams, their coaches, and faculty and alumni who have contributed to their success.

Jessup team successful In Chicago
The School of Law Jessup International Law Moot Court team went a perfect 4-0 in the preliminary rounds of the regional competition held in Chicago Feb. 3 - 4, 2013. The team beat University of Chicago, Notre Dame, Illinois and Buffalo, before dropping a split decision in the elimination round to Wayne State, the eventual competition winner. The team won a top 10 brief award, and consisted of Tyler Talbert, Hyder Seyd, Katlyn Kraus, Elizabeth Horan and Josh Lisk, and was coached by Professor Michael Scharf and Conor McLaughlin.

First Amendment team wins Best Brief in Tennessee competition

From left to right, Ken Paulson, president and CEO of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and in Washington, D.C.; Case team members, Josh Williams and Emily Gurskis; and Andrew Hard, president of the Vanderbilt Moot Court Board.

Emily Gurskis and Josh Williams represented the law school Feb. 21 - 22, 2013 in the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition hosted by the First Amendment Center and Vanderbilt University Law School.

Out of 38 teams, the team won the award for Best Brief and also advanced to the quarterfinals. The competition is recognized as one of the nation’s finest constitutional-law competitions and attracts many of the nation’s top law schools. The competition’s hypothetical dealt with the most fundamental First Amendment question: “What is speech?” The competitors debated whether the process of tattooing is a form of pure speech, a type of expressive conduct, or only unprotected conduct subject to reasonable regulation. The team was coached by Steven Chang, a 2011 graduate and a past member of the team, and Professor Jennifer Cupar.

Ault Mock Trial teams advance to regional semifinals

National Trial Competition competitors from left to right, Amy Wojnarwsky, Deanna Richards, James Stevick, Andrew Clark, Rob Simmonds, and Rachel Berman-Vaporis.

Two Jonathan M. Ault Mock Trial teams from the School of Law participated in the TYLA National Trial Competition Regional Championship Feb. 23 - 24 in Akron. Twenty-two teams from Ohio and Michigan competed in the tournament, trying a murder case in which the defendant argued that he was not guilty by reason of insanity. Both teams were among the eight teams that advanced to the regional semifinals.

The team members included Deanna Richards, Amy Wojnarwsky, Robert Simmonds, Andrew Clark, Rachel Berman-Vaporis, James Stevick, Lauren Fahlbeck, and MaryBeth Mussey. The team was coached by Mike Pascoe and Professor Yuri Linetsky.

International Law Moot court teams places second in Toronto

From left to right, team members Hilarie Henry and Tyler Kimberly; final round judges The Honourable Mr. Justice William Ian Binnie, Canadian Supreme Court; Honorable Kimberly Prost, Ombudsperson for the UN Security Council's Al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee and former judge to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; and Honorable Thomas Snow, Immigration Judge at the US Department of Justice; team members Sarah Nasta and Mary Kim.

The Niagara International Law Moot Court team earned second place at the competition in Toronto held Feb. 28 - March 1. In the preliminary rounds, the team of Sarah Nasta, Hilarie Henry, Mary Kim, and Tyler Kimberly beat Queens University School of Law (Canada), University of Western Ontario, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and York University Osgoode Hall Law School (Canada). In the quarterfinals they topped Georgetown University Law Center and Queens in the semifinals. SUNY Buffalo topped the team in the finals, however the CWRU team won the award for Best Applicant Brief, and team member Mary Kim won the award for Best Overall Advocate in the competition.

The competition problem concerned the seizing of assets and granting of refugee status to an individual on the UN Terrorist List. The team was coached by Professors Michael Benza and Cassandra Robertson.

ABA Moot Court team makes semifinals in Boston
The School of Law ABA Moot Court Team A made it to the semifinals at the Boston Regional Competition, which took place Feb. 28 - March 2. Despite being edged out in the semis by the second ranked team, Team A outperformed twenty-one other teams, thus finishing ahead of over half of the forty teams competing.

The team included Ukeme Jeter, Chris Ivey, and John Sheets, and was coached by Professor Kathryn Mercer.

Craven Moot Court team takes 2nd place in Chapel Hill

Starting third from the left, Craven team members, Thomas Au, Jeff Bieszczak, and Matt Grashoff, along with faculty supervisor, Professor Maureen Kenny, surrounded by the presiding circuit court judges for the final round against Loyola (Chicago).

The law school's moot court team finished in second place at the J. Braxton Craven Memorial Moot Court competition held Feb. 20 - 23 at the University of North Carolina School of Law. The competition involved complex First and Fifth Amendment issues related to a federal law regulating the content of cigarette packaging. The team successfully made it through six rounds of arguments before the finals.

The team consisted of Matt Grashoff, Jeff Bieszczak, and Thomas Au, and was coached by Professor Maureen Kenny, and team coordinator was Chris Heltzel.

National Moot Court team advanced to Semifinals at New York Tournament
The School of Law's National Moot Court Team advanced to the semifinal round at the 63rd Annual National Tournament Finals held at the New York City Bar Association, Jan. 28 - 31, 2013. The team, which included Jessica Feil, Josh Friedman, and Hope Lu, earned a spot in the national finals after defeating 14 other teams in the regional rounds held at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law last November, where the team was runner-up for Best Brief. More than 180 accredited law schools participate in this competition. The National Team was coached by Professor Katy Mercer.

The law school's moot court and mock trial teams have enjoyed yet another successful year in regional, national, and international competitions. From the Niagara Team's second-place finish in Toronto, to the First Amendment Team's Best Brief Award at Vanderbilt, the success of the our moot court teams exemplifies the law school's commitment to producing prominent legal oralists. The entire law school community congratulates all of the members of the various moot court teams, their coaches, and faculty and alumni who have contributed to their success.

Jessup team successful In Chicago
The School of Law Jessup International Law Moot Court team went a perfect 4-0 in the preliminary rounds of the regional competition held in Chicago Feb. 3 - 4, 2013. The team beat University of Chicago, Notre Dame, Illinois and Buffalo, before dropping a split decision in the elimination round to Wayne State, the eventual competition winner. The team won a top 10 brief award, and consisted of Tyler Talbert, Hyder Seyd, Katlyn Kraus, Elizabeth Horan and Josh Lisk, and was coached by Professor Michael Scharf and Conor McLaughlin.

First Amendment team wins Best Brief in Tennessee competition

From left to right, Ken Paulson, president and CEO of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and in Washington, D.C.; Case team members, Josh Williams and Emily Gurskis; and Andrew Hard, president of the Vanderbilt Moot Court Board.

Emily Gurskis and Josh Williams represented the law school Feb. 21 - 22, 2013 in the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition hosted by the First Amendment Center and Vanderbilt University Law School.

Out of 38 teams, the team won the award for Best Brief and also advanced to the quarterfinals. The competition is recognized as one of the nation’s finest constitutional-law competitions and attracts many of the nation’s top law schools. The competition’s hypothetical dealt with the most fundamental First Amendment question: “What is speech?” The competitors debated whether the process of tattooing is a form of pure speech, a type of expressive conduct, or only unprotected conduct subject to reasonable regulation. The team was coached by Steven Chang, a 2011 graduate and a past member of the team, and Professor Jennifer Cupar.

Ault Mock Trial teams advance to regional semifinals

National Trial Competition competitors from left to right, Amy Wojnarwsky, Deanna Richards, James Stevick, Andrew Clark, Rob Simmonds, and Rachel Berman-Vaporis.

Two Jonathan M. Ault Mock Trial teams from the School of Law participated in the TYLA National Trial Competition Regional Championship Feb. 23 - 24 in Akron. Twenty-two teams from Ohio and Michigan competed in the tournament, trying a murder case in which the defendant argued that he was not guilty by reason of insanity. Both teams were among the eight teams that advanced to the regional semifinals.

The team members included Deanna Richards, Amy Wojnarwsky, Robert Simmonds, Andrew Clark, Rachel Berman-Vaporis, James Stevick, Lauren Fahlbeck, and MaryBeth Mussey. The team was coached by Mike Pascoe and Professor Yuri Linetsky.

International Law Moot court teams places second in Toronto

From left to right, team members Hilarie Henry and Tyler Kimberly; final round judges The Honourable Mr. Justice William Ian Binnie, Canadian Supreme Court; Honorable Kimberly Prost, Ombudsperson for the UN Security Council's Al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee and former judge to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; and Honorable Thomas Snow, Immigration Judge at the US Department of Justice; team members Sarah Nasta and Mary Kim.

The Niagara International Law Moot Court team earned second place at the competition in Toronto held Feb. 28 - March 1. In the preliminary rounds, the team of Sarah Nasta, Hilarie Henry, Mary Kim, and Tyler Kimberly beat Queens University School of Law (Canada), University of Western Ontario, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and York University Osgoode Hall Law School (Canada). In the quarterfinals they topped Georgetown University Law Center and Queens in the semifinals. SUNY Buffalo topped the team in the finals, however the CWRU team won the award for Best Applicant Brief, and team member Mary Kim won the award for Best Overall Advocate in the competition.

The competition problem concerned the seizing of assets and granting of refugee status to an individual on the UN Terrorist List. The team was coached by Professors Michael Benza and Cassandra Robertson.

ABA Moot Court team makes semifinals in Boston
The School of Law ABA Moot Court Team A made it to the semifinals at the Boston Regional Competition, which took place Feb. 28 - March 2. Despite being edged out in the semis by the second ranked team, Team A outperformed twenty-one other teams, thus finishing ahead of over half of the forty teams competing.

The team included Ukeme Jeter, Chris Ivey, and John Sheets, and was coached by Professor Kathryn Mercer.

Craven Moot Court team takes 2nd place in Chapel Hill

Starting third from the left, Craven team members, Thomas Au, Jeff Bieszczak, and Matt Grashoff, along with faculty supervisor, Professor Maureen Kenny, surrounded by the presiding circuit court judges for the final round against Loyola (Chicago).

The law school's moot court team finished in second place at the J. Braxton Craven Memorial Moot Court competition held Feb. 20 - 23 at the University of North Carolina School of Law. The competition involved complex First and Fifth Amendment issues related to a federal law regulating the content of cigarette packaging. The team successfully made it through six rounds of arguments before the finals.

The team consisted of Matt Grashoff, Jeff Bieszczak, and Thomas Au, and was coached by Professor Maureen Kenny, and team coordinator was Chris Heltzel.

National Moot Court team advanced to Semifinals at New York Tournament
The School of Law's National Moot Court Team advanced to the semifinal round at the 63rd Annual National Tournament Finals held at the New York City Bar Association, Jan. 28 - 31, 2013. The team, which included Jessica Feil, Josh Friedman, and Hope Lu, earned a spot in the national finals after defeating 14 other teams in the regional rounds held at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law last November, where the team was runner-up for Best Brief. More than 180 accredited law schools participate in this competition. The National Team was coached by Professor Katy Mercer.