McGeorge School of Law's moot court program ranked No. 14 in the nation

Oct 06, 2023
A group photo of 7 students in suits

(From left to right) Jaime Bowker, '23; Riley Gervin, '23; Monika Vermani, '23; Abanoub Mikhael, '23; fourth-year law student Allison Formoso; Heather Mills, '23; and Michael Jahangani, '23, were members of McGeorge's Moot Court Honors Board for the 2022-23 academic year. 

The University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law’s moot court program finished 14th in the nation for the 2022-2023 school year, according to rankings published by the University of Houston Law Center. Among the 18 ABA-approved law schools in California, McGeorge finished second.

Professor Ed Telfeyan, co-director of the Eglet Center for Advocacy & Dispute Resolution and director of the school’s moot court program, said the ranking reflects the strengths of the program and caliber of the legal education McGeorge students receive.

“Our students performed well this year, and the recognition they received was most deserved,” Telfeyan said. “Our program produces quality work from our students year-after-year. Our national rankings reflected that fact this year, as they have in past years.”

McGeorge’s moot court program received the No. 14 moot court program recognition for its success during the 2022-23 competition season.

ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Regional Rounds

In the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Regional Appellate Advocacy Competition, third-year law student Morgan Graber, Heather Mills, ’23, and Tom Gherini, ’23, were selected to advance to the national round of the competition. Gherini won the award for Best Oralist at the competition, and the team earned second place for the Best Brief. The regional competition was held on Feb. 25 and 26 in San Francisco.

Micaela Chapa, ’23, John Gutierrez, ’23, and Katie Lerseth, ’23, also advanced to the final round of the competition.

The teams were coached by Professor Dan Croxall, ’08; Maricar Pascual, ’16; Paige Davidson, ’19; and Jaime Bowker. Third-year law student Alex Leshnick was the team’s research assistant.

ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition – National Rounds

In the finalist round of the ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Gherini, Mills, and Graber finished in a tie for fifth place, and Gherini was named as one of the top oral advocates in the tournament. The competition was held April 14-16 in Washington, D.C.

The team was coached by Croxall, Pascual, and Kaylee Sheldon, '23.

Appellate Lawyers Association National Moot Court Competition

Graber, Mills, and Gherini also took first place in the Appellate Lawyers Association National Moot Court Competition Championship on November 4 and 5, 2022 in Chicago. Additionally, Mills won third Best Oralist and the team won third Best Brief.

The team was coached by Croxall, Pascual, and Sheldon.

John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition

Samantha Bacon, ‘23, and Riley Gervin, ‘23, won the award for the Best Petitioner Brief out of 33 briefs and were semi-finalists at the John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition in Newark, New Jersey on March 24 and 25, 2023.

The team was coached by Angela Fuentes, ‘23, Gil Vega, ‘09, Professor Jeff Proske, and Adjunct Professor Richard Schickele. Third-year law student Kyndall Banales served as the team’s research assistant.

Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Competition

Fourth-year law students Allison Formoso and Nikki Kuklo advanced to the semi-final round of the Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Competition. Formoso also won the award for Best Oralist for her performance during the preliminary rounds. The competition was held on April 1 and 2 in New York City.

The team was coached by Adjunct Professor Erich Shiners, ’06; Tim Kamermayer, ’12; Madison Simmons, ’13; Tashayla Billington, ’15; and Hunter Hayes, ‘23. Third-year law student Alexis Martinez served as the team’s research assistant.

A group of people pose for a photo on the steps of a building

The members of McGeorge School of Law's 2022-23 moot court team excelled in competitions. 

Additional results from the moot court competition season include:

  • In the Billings, Exum, & Frye National Moot Court Competition, the team of Hayes, Kylie Ohm, ‘23, and Brian Taghadossi, ‘23, were octofinalists and were awarded the third Best Brief. The team of Bacon and Gervin were also octofinalists.
  • In the Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition, the team consisting of fourth-year students Kelsey Thweatt and Kaila Fayne were octofinalists. The second team, consisting of Jordan Hutchings and Formoso, also competed in the octofinal round of the competition. Formoso was named the second Best Oralist, and Hutchings was awarded the third Best Oralist.
  • In the Saul Lefkowitz Intellectual Property Regional Moot Court Competition (West), Sheldon and Abanoub Mikhael, ‘23, were recognized for being the region's Best Oral Argument Team.
  • In the UC Davis Asylum & Refugee Law National Moot Court Competition, fourth-year student Amanda Stone was named as the second Best Oralist.
  • In the Roger J. Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Competition, Fayne and Thweatt each won individual merit awards for their oral arguments.

To learn more about the Eglet Center for Advocacy & Dispute Resolution or McGeorge’s award-winning Competition Teams, please visit our website.

For more information about McGeorge School of Law, visit our website.

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McGeorge School of Law