NAAC Wrap-Up: Congratulations and Thanks

Congratulations again go out to Stephen Boyett, Carrie Devitt, and Jessica Franklin for their outstanding finish at the National Appellate Advocacy Competition finals this past weekend.  The team placed among the final 16 in the nation.  The competition is hosted by the American Bar Association.

Both of Marquette’s teams, including the team composed of Elizabeth Champeau and Thomas Worsfold, distinguished themselves at the competition this year.  Both teams did well because they maintained a consistent effort throughout the competition.  They worked diligently on their briefs, and both teams achieved high scores on their briefs.  They also met numerous times with practices judges to hone their arguments.  The teams and I would like to thank the following practice round judges for all of their assistance this year:

Michael Aiken, Katie Bender, Rebecca Blemberg, Jesse Blocher, Bruce Boyden, Christopher Brunson, Kristina Cerjak, Michael Cerjak, Elizabeth Champeau, Wade DeArmond, Teague Devitt, Christopher Eisold, Rick Esenberg, Andrew Finn, Michael Fischer, Janine Geske, Kathleen Goodrich, Jeff Greipp, Jay Grenig, Nadelle Grossman, Martha Hamilton, Sam Hamilton, Thomas Hruz, Joseph Kearney, Jennifer Kreil, Mark Leitner, Alan Madry, Lisa Mazzie Hatlen, Natalia Minkel-Dumit, Brent Nistler, Julie Norton, Michael O’Hear, Joseph Peltz, Janice Rhodes, Peter Rofes, Paul Secunda, Bonnie Thomson, Michael Tuchalski, Carey Villeneuve, and Michael Waxman.

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Products Liability Moot Court Team Wins Best Petitioner Brief and Advances to Semifinals

Please join me in congratulating Jon Fritz and Dale Johnson, who represented Marquette at the August A. Rendigs, Jr. National Products Liability Moot Court Competition this weekend.  Jon and Dale not only advanced to the semi-final round of the competition, they also received an award for writing the best brief on behalf of the petitioner.

Jon, Dale, and I would like to thank the many people who helped the team prepare for the competition.   Specifically, we would like to thank Marquette lawyers Jane Appleby and Sean Finnigan, 3L Maura Battersby, and Professors Rebecca Blemberg, Patricia Bradford, Rick Esenberg, Melissa Greipp, Nadelle Grossman, Lisa Hatlen, Jill Hayford, Jack Kircher, Julie Norton, Chad Oldfather, Elana Olson, and Andrea Schneider for their help in judging the practice arguments.

Continue ReadingProducts Liability Moot Court Team Wins Best Petitioner Brief and Advances to Semifinals

Congratulations to the Winners of the Jenkins Competition

The finale of this year’s Jenkins Moot Court Competition took place this evening, in the spectacular ceremonial courtroom of the Federal Courthouse.

Each of the four competitors who advanced from the semifinals, Alyssa Dowse and Timothy Sheehey, and Jessica Farley and Brent Simerson, gave a terrific performance.  The panel of judges (Judge Lynn S. Adelman presiding in his own courtroom; Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Patience D. Roggensack; and North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge and Marquette alum James Wynn Jr.) was active in its questioning of both teams, but the advocates stood their ground at every turn.  I would have had a very difficult time ranking the competitors, were I on that panel.

After the arguments were complete and the scores were calculated, the winners were the Petitioners, Alyssa Dowse and Timothy Sheehey.  At the reception afterwards, in addition to recognizing the first- and second-place teams, Dean Kearney announced the other two prizes in the competition.  This year’s Ramon A. Klitzke Prize for Best Oral Advocate went to Alyssa Dowse.  Finally, the Franz Eschweiler Award for Best Brief was shared by teammates Joseph Brydges and Timothy Hassel.

Congratulations to the first-place and second-place teams, the Best Oral Advocate, and the team that wrote the Best Brief.  Indeed, congratulations to all of the students who had the honor of participating in Jenkins. And many thanks to the moot court board and executive board members and the faculty, staff, and alumni of the law school who helped with the competition.  As the Dean noted at the reception, it was especially gratifying to see so many alums of the moot court program at the argument this evening.

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