Students Tackle Issues of Constitutionality at the 46th Annual Fornoff Competition
November 3, 2017
Congratulations to finalists who participated in the dynamic final round of the Charles W. Fornoff Appellate Advocacy Competition held on October 26, 2017 in McQuade Law Auditorium. Brandy Brown ’19 (pictured bottom center) and Antonette (Toni) Marsteller ’19 represented the State of Tiantic (Petitioner). Joseph (Joe) Loftus ’19 and Jessica Worley ’19 represented Rocket Inc. and Jessica Rocket (Respondents). Toledo Law students tackled issues of constitutionality as they argued their cases before the court. Awards were presented in the following categories:
Best Argument: Joseph Loftus and Jessica Worley (pictured top right)
Best Oralist: Antonette Marsteller (pictured top center)
Presiding judges (pictured bottom right) included Justice Mark W. Bennett from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Chief Justice David F. Hamilton from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and Justice Lynn S. Adelman from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Professor Lammon served as co-faculty advisor for the competition and praised the students’ performance. “They were excellent. Each of them put in an immense amount of time and work to prepare for the final. And all their effort showed--they impressed both the judges and the audience with their mastery of the case, the issues, and the means of effectively presenting their argument. I expect that these finalists will make excellent advocates when they enter practice.”
The Charles W. Fornoff Appellate Advocacy Competition is named for former Dean Charles W. Fornoff and honors his tenure as a Toledo Law professor and administrator between 1939 and 1970. Fornoff actively sought to safeguard educational opportunities for all aspiring lawyers. The competition helps second and third year students gain real-world experience in oral advocacy. Teams litigate in front of a panel of judges as either plaintiff or defense counsel. The competition begins with approximately 100 participants each spring and continues into the following fall semester.
The competition is organized by the Moot Court Board: Nancy Magginis ’18 (chair), Victor Aberdeen ’18 and Alex Bayoneto ’18 (Fornoff coordinators). Professors Eric Chaffee and Bryan Lammon serve as Fornoff faculty advisors and help prepare finalists in the weeks leading up to the final round.