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2022-2023 Competition Successes

by | Mar 10, 2023 | Uncategorized

GW Ranked as 7th Best Moot Court Program in the Country

GW excelled in external advocacy competitions (against other schools) during the 22-23 academic year and was recognized 43 times as follows:

Team Overall – 25 total:

  • Champion – 4
  • Ethics in Advocacy – 1
  • Finalist (Second Place) – 7
  • Third Place – 1
  • Semi-finalist – 7
  • Fifth Place – 1
  • Quarter-finalist – 2
  • Sweet 16 – 2
 

Oral Advocacy – 10 total:

  • Best Oral Advocate – 7
  • Best Opening Statement – 1
  • 5th Best Oral Advocate – 1
  • Honorable Mention for Best Defense Advocate – 1

Written Advocacy – 8 total:

  • Best Brief – 5
  • Best Petitioner’s Brief – 1
  • Second Best Brief – 1
  • Third Best Memorial – 1

As a result, GW Law was ranked by the Blakely Advocacy Institute at the University of Houston Law Center as the 7th Best Moot Court Program in the country for the 22-23 academic year:
https://www.law.uh.edu/blakely/mcnc/rankings.asp

Additionally, GW was ranked #12 in the country for all advocacy programs (ADR, mock trial and moot court) by NICA for 2022:
https://nica.team/ranking/?countryCode=tempCountryCode&national=1&viewyear=2022

These achievements represent a tremendous amount of work by our students, many of whom are graduating, as well as our faculty coaches.  They are also evidence of the excellent foundation the FL program, our clinics, and our skills courses provide to our students.

GW Wins Giles Rich Moot Court Competition

 3Ls Abhinav Garg & Patrick Walters, coached by adjunct professor Matt Dowd, won the 2023 Giles Rich Moot Court Competition finals. The Giles Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court is widely regarded as the most prestigious IP advocacy competition in the world. Arguments took place at the Federal Circuit and hosted teams from Penn; Columbia (two teams); University of North Dakota; Texas; Duke; Chicago-Kent; Pitt; Temple; and of course, GW. In the final round, Garg and Walters argued before an active bench of Judges Dyk, Prost, and Taranto. Congrats Abhinav and Patrick on a job well done! 

In 2024, GW will be sending 3Ls Charlie Schmidt and  Immanuel Elijah to Giles Rich.

 

 

 

GW Advances to Top-16 in the World at Jessup World Championship

Holden Fitzgerald, Alan Harrison, Gabrielle Lysko & Nicole Thrun finished second in the DC Regional which advanced the team to the International Rounds (World Championship). They were coached by alum adjunct professor Trent Buatte.

GW advanced to the top 16 schools in the world. Significantly, GW and Yale were the last American schools remaining in the competition. They both made the Sweet 16 before being knocked out. Congrats Holden, Alan, Gabrielle, and Nicole!

GW Reaches Semi-finals of Irving R. Kaufman Securities Law Moot Court Competition

Ethan Shuchart  & Kristen Wilcox were awarded Best Brief and reached the Semi-finalists of the Irving R. Kaufman Securities Law Moot Court Competition in New York, NY, hosted by Fordham.  The team was coached by adjunct professors Rami Sibay (not pictured) and Magin Puig Monsen (center).  Prof. Sibay, who is Assistant Director in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, had this to say about his team, “[T]hat smile on Ethan’s face … just warms my heart to no end. He worked extremely hard at the end to improve. Magin said he hit out of the park – especially during the second match. … So happy for both of them.”

GW Reaches Finals of DC Cup Moot Court Competition

Danielle Barnes-Smith and Stephanie King represented GW Law in the DC Cup Moot Court Competition, which is sponsored by the DC Bar. The team was coached by alum adjunct professor Max Wolson, who is a litigator with the National Immigration Law Center. Danielle and Stephanie finished as Finalists in oral argument held at the DC Court of Appeals. The duo also earned Best Brief, and Stephanie won Best Oral Advocate. D.C. Court of Appeals Judge Alikhan emphasized that they came in second by “a hair and only a hair.” Professor Wolson noted that, “Danielle and Stephanie did the school proud.”

GW Reaches Finals of National Telecommunications & Technology Moot Court

GW’s two teams performed with distinction in the National Telecommunications and Technology Moot Court Competition at Catholic University.

Yana Holden and Lauren Lehner won Best Brief and were Finalists, finishing second. The coach was alum adjunct professor Ethan Lucarelli, Attorney Advisor in the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. A photo of the team, coach and both awards is attached.

Jordyn Johnson and Rose Patton also competed, and Jordyn was selected Best Oral Advocate. That team was coached by alum adjunct professor Frank Scaduto, who serves as Special Counsel in the Telecom, Media & Technology Department at Wiley Rein LLP.

Professor Lucarelli had this to say about both teams, “They worked hard over the past two months, including countless hours working on the briefs and 7 practice moots and many more group meetings. Additionally, they fully embodied the GW spirit, supporting each other and closely collaborating. … The students were incredible and a pleasure to work with. I know I speak for [Professor Scaduto] when I say that we would be pleased to work with any of them again, should they want to come back for another round as 3Ls.”

GW Wins 3rd at Saul Lefkowitz Trademark Moot Court

Sydney Huppert and Lauren Pittman won Third Place at the New York City Regional of the Saul Lefkowitz Trademark Moot Court Competition. Since only the top two teams in a Regional advance to the Nationals, GW became the alternate.