Lewis & Clark students take two first-place positions in national moot court competitions

Lewis & Clark law students made it to the semi-finals in eight different national and regional moot court competitions this February and March. The competitions are designed to test law students’ skills at negotiation, client counseling, trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, and legislative drafting in fields such as international law, environmental law, and animal law.

Harvard National Animal Law Moot Court Competition

First year law student Meredith Price won first place in the Legislative Drafting and Lobbying competition. Jessica Su Johnson placed second in the Closing Argument competition, and Tara Gallagher and Ashley McKenzie placed second in the Appellate Moot Court competition.

National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition

Lewis & Clark students Ellie Dawson, John Krallman, and Marla Nelson took second place among 72 competing teams. Krallman was recognized as the co-runner-up for best oralist in the entire competition. The Lewis & Clark Law School environmental law moot court program continues to build on its successful record, making it to the finals for the thirteenth time in 20 years. Lewis & Clark teams have won the competition seven times.

Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition

The Lewis & Clark Jessup International Law Moot Court team was a semi-finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Regional, considered by many in the law school sector to be the toughest regional in the world, with 24 teams and over 90 speakers. Team member Joe Terrenzio was named the first place oralist with a U.S. record-breaking average of 96.2 points out of 100. Other Lewis & Clark team members included: Rohit Kapuria, Emerson Lenon, Dan Rowan, and Dave Susens.

Other moot court competitions

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

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, made it to the semi-finals of 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; they will compete at nationals later in March. A second Lewis & Clark team, Scott Gitler and Lindsey Burrows, made the final rounds and took third place.

In these 2009 video features, Lewis & Clark faculty talk about preparing for environmental law and animal moot court competitions.

2009 National Environmental Moot Court Champions

National Animal Law Competitions