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Toledo Law Moot Court teams find success at competitions nationwide

April 25, 2014

Moot court teams from The University of Toledo College of Law have competed and found success at tournaments across the country this semester. The Mediation Team placed first with a perfect score in the final round of the Great Lakes Regional Mediation Tournament; the International Law Team placed fifth in the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition Rocky Mountain Regional; and the Sports Law Team’s brief placed fourth at the Tulane Mardi Gras Sports Law Invitational, where the team also advanced to the quarter-finals. 

In looking back over the year’s achievements, Robert Haley ’14, the chair of the Moot Court Board, credits the support of College of Law faculty. Professors prepared teams for competitions by serving as judges, advisers, or consultants on tournament problems. 

“Faculty support and concern have made a significant difference and are really what makes Toledo Law such a unique place to learn,” said Haley.  

Mediation Team bests competition with perfect score 

Toledo Law Mediation Team

The Toledo Law Mediation Team of Chime Nwankwo ’14, Reem Subei ’14, and Molly Albertson ’14 placed first with a perfect score in the final round of the Great Lakes Regional Mediation Tournament Feb. 14-16 at Michigan State University College of Law. 

Fourteen teams from eight schools competed in this challenging facilitative mediation tournament. In the preliminary and final rounds, teams were assigned to compete as either the mediator or advocate/client team. Toledo Law’s team prevailed over teams from UC Hastings College of Law, Michigan State University College of Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Marquette University Law School, and Osgoode Hall Law School. 

“Our students excelled in this competition due in large part to the intensive training they received through the College of Law Dispute Resolution Clinic,” said Professor Maara Fink, the team’s coach and director of Toledo Law’s Dispute Resolution Clinic. “Months of serving as mediators with real parties involved in real cases in our local courts more than adequately prepared them for competition in a simulated setting.” 

International Law Team heads to semi-finals

International Law Team

The International Law Team placed fifth out of 23 teams in the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition Rocky Mountain Regional at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law on Feb. 13-16. Toledo Law’s showing was its best at this competition in over 10 years. The team of Ashley Kuruvilla ’14, Alexandria Heinonen ’14, Jonathon Hoover ’15, Shelby Gordon ’15, and student coach Joelynn Laux ’14 lost in the semi-finals to the eventual winner.

The competition was a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial body of the United Nations. Teams prepared oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case. 

“It took our team months to prepare for this competition and all of our hard work paid off,” said Heinonen. “When we heard our name called for the semi-final rounds, all of the countless hours we spent brief writing and practicing our arguments were well worth it.” 

Sports Law Team’s brief wins accolades 

Sports Law Team

The Sports Law Team of Trevor Colvin ’15 and Zachary Laumer ’15 advanced to the quarter-finals and finished fifth out of 32 teams at the Tulane Mardi Gras Sports Law Invitational, Feb. 26-28, in New Orleans. The team’s brief placed fourth. The team’s competition at the tournament included Duke University School of Law, UC Hastings College of Law, and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

The problem involved the NCAA use of athlete images in video games, the subject of current litigation. Oral argument for the tournament was held at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

“It was incredible to see the team’s hard work and dedication pay off this year. To have an all 2L team perform at such a high level is a real testament to their mastery of the material and oral advocacy skills,” said Moot Court Board Chair Robert Haley, the team’s student coach. “The team will be returning to the competition next year, and I have no doubt they will once again be successful.”

 

 

Last Updated: 3/23/15