Georgia Law advocacy teams finish strong in national and intrastate competitions

Abstract

Friday, April 15, 2005

WRITER: Julie Camp, 706/542-5172, lawcomm@uga.edu CONTACT: Kellie Casey Monk, 706/542-2739, krcasey@uga.edu

Georgia Law advocacy teams finish strong in national and intrastate competitions

ATHENS, Ga. – For the first time, a University of Georgia School of Law moot court team made it to the final round of the American Bar Association National Student Appellate Advocacy Competition, and the team finished second out of 187 law schools.

The team – comprised of second-year students Stephanie C. Anderson, Michael A. Caplan and W. Elliott Stiles – also won the Third Best Brief Award in the competition, which was held March 31-April 2 in Chicago, Ill. Caplan was named as the competition’s Sixth Best Oralist. Third-year students Brendan G. Krasinski, Darren C. Hickman and Richard L. Maxwell coached the group.

After defeating teams from Texas Wesleyan University and George Washington University in the quarterfinals and semifinals, the trio lost to South Texas College of Law in the final round.

Georgia Law Advocacy Director Kellie Casey Monk said she was very pleased with the team’s showing. “This is truly an outstanding achievement for Stephanie, Mike and Elliott. This is one of our country’s most prestigious moot court tournaments. We typically perform very well at the regional level but have never advanced higher than the quarterfinal tier at the national tournament.”

In the Intrastate Moot Court Competition held earlier this month, second-year student Jason T. Burnette was named Best Oralist. He and his teammates, second-year students Satura L. McPherson and Andrew J. Tuck, also prepared the tournament’s best written brief.

This trio and Georgia Law’s second team – comprised of second-year students Joshua P. Gunnemann, Taylor M. Chamberlin and Alderman Z. Faison Jr. – advanced to the semifinal round of this annual tournament, which pits two teams from each of the state’s law schools against each other.

Third-year students Beth F. Morris and Eadaoin M. Waller coached the two groups.

Additionally, a team of four Georgia Law students finished third at the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition held in Denver, Colo., March 30-April 2. The quartet was comprised of second-year students Veronica L. Richardson and Ayotunde “Tunde” O. Ezekiel and third-year students H. Joseph Colette and Jadun O. McCarthy. Third-year student Charmel L. Gaulden served as coach.

The National Black Law Students Association has hosted the Thurgood Marshall tournament for three years.

In total, Georgia Law’s acclaimed advocacy program finished the 2004-05 year with three first place oralist trophies and two first place brief awards, placed second and third in two different national tournaments, and captured two regional championships in addition to earning several other individual and team honors.

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