UC Hastings Moot Court Triumphs with Three More Championships

by Toni Young '76, Director Moot Court, Appellate Advocacy, Legal Writing & Research

UC Hastings Moot Court added to its wins this year with three more championships in national and regional competitions including the Asylum and Gender Refugee Moot Court Competition, the Cardozo/BMI Entertainment Moot Court Competition and the Jessup International Law Regional Competition.

Kevin Smith '13 and Cassandra Shryock '14 dazzled the judges with their innovative and original arguments in winning the Cardozo/BMI Entertainment Law National Championship held at Cardozo Law School. The team argued the Final Round in front of the prestigious jurists The Honorable Milan D. Smith of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, The Honorable John Greenaway of the Second Circuit Court of Appeal, and The Honorable Laura Taylor Swain of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Kevin enthralled the panel with his analysis of legal and equitable time limits for lawsuits, even quoting from Justice Cardozo himself! Cassie made complex legal concepts seem simple in her arguments about the “first sale doctrine” and the application of that doctrine domestically and internationally in copyright law. The team was coached by alum Kathy Tsai (Dong) and student coaches Henry Truong and Elaine Kuo who helped the team succeed in an area of emerging and disputed law.

Brooke McCarthy '14, Stacy Boven '14 and Nick Vangrin '14 (Brief Editor) won the 2013 Asylum and Gender Refugee Moot Court Competition this year, marking the third year in a row that Hastings has won the championship at this competition. Brooke was named the Best Oral Advocate in the tournament and Stacy was named the Second Place Oral Advocate. The team was guided by alumni coach K. C. Donovan and student coach Melissa Kendra, and we thank the coaches for their guidance and support. Ashley Hongisto '14, Homaira Khalji '14 and Brief Editor Robert Hammill '14 advanced to the Quarterfinals of this competition, also making Hastings very proud. We are grateful to their alumni coach Stephanie Kang and their student coach Helen Luu.

Jessup International Law Competition team members Justin Biolo '13, Dana Cook-Milligan '14, Cassandra Kerkoff '14, Jessica Owen '13 and Stewart Pollock '14 made it a threepeat by winning the Jessup Western Regional Competition for the third year in a row against stiff competition from 21 other law schools including several former Jessup regional champions. The team argued about the asylum status of citizens who lost their country when rising tides caused by global warming flooded their territory, and about the boundaries of international debt and default and the rights and responsibilities of countries when they accept asylum seekers into their land. Jessie Owen was named Second Best Oral Advocate in the Region, and the team qualified for the Jessup International Final Rounds to be held in Washington. D.C. The team is coached by former Jessupians Mari Overbeck and Megan Havstad and student coach Carolyn Lee.

Jessup needs judges to help them prepare for the International Rounds and if you would like to judge them or any of the other teams that are practicing for the next month, please come to a practice that fits your schedule. You can view the practice schedules at www.hastingsmootcourt.com. Also practicing now are the Prince Evidence Team, the Thurgood Marshall Federal Bar Association teams and the Traynor State Championship team.

Many thanks to everyone who has judged or supported our competition teams this year! We appreciate your time and experience and we look forward to seeing you at UC Hastings soon.

Cheers,

Toni