March 01, 2011

Law students shine in multiple Moot Court competitions

Lewis & Clark Law students win national and regional moot court competitions in Spring 2011

Lewis & Clark law students showed their advocacy skills this week winning, or placing in the semi-finals, in eight different national and regional moot court competitions. Students excelled in moot courts testing skills at negotiation, client counseling, trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, and legislative drafting.

Winning first place in the Harvard National Animal Law Legislative Drafting and Lobbying Competition was first year law student Meredith Price. Jessica Su Johnson placed second in the Harvard National Animal Law Closing Argument Competition, and Tara Gallagher and Ashley McKenzie placed second in the Harvard National Animal Law Moot Court Competition.

In the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, with 72 schools competing, Lewis & Clark students Ellie Dawson, John Krallman, and Marla Nelson took second place. Team member John Krallman was also recognized as the co-runner-up for best oralist in the entire competition. Our environmental law moot court program has had a stunning record of success at the national competition. This marks the 13th time in the last 20 years that we have made the finals. We have been fortunate enough to win the competition seven times in those 20 years.

In Atlanta, the Lewis & Clark team of Myra Cause and Ben Pirie made the semi-finals in the national ABA Negotiation Moot Court competition. Cause and Pirie won the regional negotiation competition in Fall 2010.

Lewis & Clark students won the Regional Mock Trial Moot Court competition and the team of Erin Walkowiak and Michael Schaefer will compete soon in the National Mock Trial Moot court competition. A second Lewis & Clark team, Randall Szabo and Zach Allen were semi-finalists in the regional competition. Both Szabo and Allen were also recognized for outstanding oral advocacy.

At the Regional Client Counseling Competition students Jennifer Morton and Matthew Singleton took first place and made it to the semi-finals at the national competition.  A second Lewis & Clark team, Scott Gitler and Lindsey Burrows, made the final rounds in the regional competition and took third place.

The Lewis & Clark Jessup International Law Moot Court team was a semi-finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Regional, considered by insiders to be the toughest regional in the world with 24 teams and over 90 speakers. Lewis & Clark students Rohit Kapuria, Emerson Lenon, Dan Rowan, Dave Susens and Joe Terrenzio represented the school competing for team and individual honors. Team member Joe Terrenzio received the 1st Place Oralist prize with a U.S. record-breaking average of 96.2 points out of 100.