Students Argue Insider Trading and Hearsay Exception Questions at 45th Annual Charles W. Fornoff Appellate Advocacy Competition
October 10, 2016
What is the scope of insider trading tippee liability? Can exculpatory testimony given in prior grand jury proceedings be admissible where the witness is unavailable for testimony in subsequent criminal proceedings? Second and third year students will tackle these issues during The University of Toledo College of Law’s 45th Annual Charles W. Fornoff Appellate Advocacy Competition.
Named for former Dean Charles W. Fornoff, the competition honors Dean Fornoff’s 31 years as a Toledo Law professor and administrator between 1939 and 1970. During his time at Toledo Law, he continued law school operations in spite of World War II and encouraged women to pursue a legal education even when this was an unpopular stance. He generously gave his time to students and even personally aided students with financial need.
The purpose of the competition is to help students develop the skills needed to become excellent oral advocates as well as dedicated and proficient lawyers. Early rounds of the competition take place in the Spring Semester, with additional and final rounds taking place early in the Fall Semester.
This year, the final round of the competition will take place on October 20, 2016 at noon in the McQuade Law Auditorium. Daniel Carroll ’17 and Blake Padget ’18 will represent the United States (Petitioner) in this year’s competition. Nancy Magginis ’18 and Mitchell Guc ’18 will represent Dana Dinofrio (Respondent). Blake Padget ’18 was the only competitor to go undefeated during the preliminary rounds, which has already earned him the honorary title of Barrister in the competition.
The judges for this year’s final round will be Magistrate Judge Kathleen B. Burke from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Chief Judge Denise Page Hood from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Judge James D. Jensen from the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals.
The Fornoff Appellate Advocacy Competition is organized each year by Toledo Law’s Moot Court Board. Patrick Charest ’17 and Dylan Loga ’17 are the 2016 Fornoff co-chairs.
Professors Eric Chaffee and Bryan Lammon serve as Fornoff faculty advisors and will help prepare the finalists in the weeks between the tournament’s end and the final argument.
In regard to the competition, Professor Chaffee noted, “For students, the Fornoff Competition is one of the premier events of the academic year. It’s a wonderful opportunity for competitors to learn about oral advocacy, and as a faculty member, I am very pleased to help support the competition.