Colorado Law Moot Court Team Wins National Championship
For the first time in history, a University of Colorado Law School team emerged victorious at the Constance Baker Motley National Moot Court Competition against 54 teams from 34 law schools. Two of the school’s most accomplished advocates, third-year law students Cash Parker and Patrick Thiessen, beat the University of California-Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law team in the final round at the American Constitution Society’s (ACS) Annual National Convention in Washington, DC, on June 13. The team had beaten the Georgetown Law Center team at the regional competition back in March. The competition was judged by Judge William Fletcher of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Richard Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and Justice Peter Rubin of the Court of Appeals of Massachusetts.
Can a state control the fundraising activities of judicial candidates, or their affiliation with political parties? Apropos of the upcoming general elections and the fact that in 38 states judicial candidates must stand for election, students debated on state elections and their role in helping ensure a fair and independent judiciary. Parker and Thiessen argued that such restrictions are, in fact, constitutional.
“This is a major national distinction because the issues addressed in the competition are those of national importance in understanding the American Constitution,” explains Lorenzo Trujillo, Assistant Dean of Students and Professional Programs. “At this time in American history, the legal and profound knowledge of the Constitution is at the core of American jurisprudence as we move forward as a nation.”
“By all accounts, this was a truly phenomenal performance,” complimented Professor Melissa Hart, Associate Professor, Steering Committee member for the Denver Lawyers’ Chapter of ACS, and the faculty advisor for the law school’s student chapter. Third-year law student Grant Sullivan who served as a coach said that the team did an exceptional job against some extremely strong competition.
This distinction is another hallmark of Colorado Law’s premier status as a top national public law school. In January, also for the first time in the law school’s history, a student team won second place against teams from over 150 law schools in the nation’s most prestigious moot court competition, The National Moot Court Competition sponsored by the New York City Bar and the American College of Trial Lawyers. That team was composed of distinguished advocates, third-year students Abe Alexander, Grant Sullivan, and Mike Wautlet. Cash Parker served as student coach for this competition.
“Achievements of this magnitude do not come without immense effort and tremendous talent,” said Gabrielle Marks Stafford, the Director of Colorado Law’s Moot Court Programs and the faculty coach.
“Legal advocacy competitions are recognizably important in preparing students for the practice of law. Our students and their professors and coaches have demonstrated notable and commendable excellence in winning national competitions,” Dean David Getches declared. “We are proud of their legal skills, which represent the highest caliber of analysis and presentation."
During the 2007-08 year, 30 Colorado Law students participated in 11 national moot court and mock trial competitions. Coaches included 13 Professors: Al Canner, Mark Squillace, Colene Robinson, Jill Tompkins, Sarah Krakoff, Brad Bernthal, Melissa Hart, Todd Stafford, Hannah Garry, Gabi Stafford, Ann England, and Dan Deasy, and Assistant Dean Lorenzo Trujillo.
Read the ACS press release on the complete event. ACS is a national organization of lawyers, judges, law students, and others interested in ensuring that the fundamental principles of human dignity, individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, and access to justice enjoy a meaningful place in American law.