ABA Mediation Representation Competition
Mary Branton-Housley, Laura Reimann Callope, Sayna Parsi, and Corinna Petersen represented Mitchell Hamline in the American Bar Association Mediation Representation Competition which was held remotely in March.
Coaches Prof. Sharon Press & Dean of Students Lynn LeMoine
ABA Negotiation in Competition
Four students represented Mitchell Hamline in the ABA Negotiation Competition in 2022-2023: Molly Bowling, Michael D’Imperio, Adrienne Southworth and Tyler Knutson. The regional competition was held remotely, and Adrienne and Tyler advanced to the National Competition helpd in Chicago, IL in February.
Coaches Prof. Ken Fox and Dean of Students Lynn LeMoine
FBA Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition
Mitchell Hamline had one team, Samantha Kadle and Michael Doherty, compete in the national competition held in-person in Washington D.C. from March 22–23. The team submitted an appellate brief on the federal constitutional questions of whether a felony voting re-enfranchisement statute—loosely based on Florida’s recent legislation—violated the 14th or 24th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. They received top marks in oral advocacy, but did not proceed in the competition. The students were able to visit the Supreme Court and national monuments and meet local government practitioners throughout the experience.
Coaches Robert Yount and Andrew Wilson
PACE Environmental Moot Court Competition (NELMC)
Mitchell Hamline environmental moot court team competed in the nation’s premier environmental law competition, the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Moot Court Competition (NELMC) hosted by Pace Law School. Students Ashley Anderson, Laura Nelson, and John Oswald represented the school well in a very challenging competition.
NELMC is always tough, for a couple of reasons. First, students must learn to make arguments for three parties (regulator, regulated entity, public interest group) rather than the two parties typical of many competitions. Second, the Pace law professor who writes these problems is infamous for creating diabolically technical interpretive puzzles requiring students to parse regulations, statutes, cases, and constitutional provisions.
This year’s problem lived up to NELMC’s reputation. Through three preliminary rounds Ashley, Laura, and John represented all three parties to the dispute—EPA, the regulated corporation, and a public interest group representing an environmental justice community—on all of the issues. And there were a lot of issues. Ashley, Laura, and John were required to address several novel statutory interpretation questions under CERCLA (the Superfund law); a novel administrative law issue about whether EPA deserves deference for interpretation of a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing environmental rights; and even an issue about supplemental federal jurisdiction over state law environmental tort claims. It was a big undertaking, and our team rose to the occasion after weeks of preparation.
Coach: Mehmet Konar-Steenberg
Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court team competed in the Midwest Regional from February 10th through the 12th. The team of Sam Schurman, Christina Jackson, Kat Gritsenko, and Prachi Jain took part in 4 preliminary rounds. The team placed in the top 8 and advanced to the Quarterfinals! As well as the team performed, they were unable to advance to the Semifinals. This impressive showing also saw the team’s written material land in sixth place. Coaches Ben Koll and Nate Siems are incredibly proud of the work the students put in this year and of their performance at the competition.
NALSA Moot Court Competition
MH had two teams who competed in the 31st annual National NALSA Moot Court Competition this weekend at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman Oklahoma. Our NALSA President and Vice President composed one team – 3L Ashalon Goodrich, Blackfoot Siksika Nation, and 3L Ben Swankier, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Our NALSA Secretary and Public Relations Officer composed the second team – 2L Emma Brunelle, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, and 2L Dakota Lancour, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe. Both teams demonstrated solid arguments in the preliminary rounds, but did not advance to the sweet 16. We are proud of their hard work, preparation and representation at this year’s competition. There were 32 teams in the competition with the University of Kansas team winning the championship round on Sunday evening.
Thank you to the faculty, alumni, and MAIBA members who were practice judges for the 6 weeks of oral arguments preparation. Professor Forrest Tahdooahnippah and I served as this year’s coaches.
Summit Cup
Mitchell Hamline’s Third Annual Summit Cup BAM 1L Motion Argument Competition. After drafting either a motion for summary judgment or the response to that motion as part of their LARC course, all competitors argued both sides of the motion during the Sweet Sixteen rounds. The highest scoring advocate during these preliminary rounds, Sophie Hill, was awarded this year’s best oralist. After an intense face off in the final round between Sophie Hill and Carissa Hansen, the judges granted summary judgment in favor of Ms. Hill’s client and, as such, Sophie Hill became this year’s Summit Cup Champion. details below in case you would like —honestly, simply qualifying to participate in the competition is a huge accomplishment, and the preparation required to participate is significant.
TYLA Mock Trial Competition
Mitchell Hamline competed in the TYLA Mock trial competition. There were 24 teams in the competition. The team of Elizabeth Morton-Badger, Danielle Gondik-Anderson and Sean Kehren made the semi-final round. They split the last vote with Iowa . Sean Kehren was voted Best Advocate for the competition . Mitchellhamline has not had a student win Best Advocate for several years. That team placed 5th overall.
The team of Erika Levine , Phillip Dabros and Isabelle Hagel also competed and won several rounds and placed 9th in the competition.
The teams were coached by Judge Cynthia McCollum and assisted by student Sam Kadle.
UVALDO HERRERA NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION (HNBA) was held March 9-11, 2023 @ Arizona State University (ASU) College of Law. Phoenix, AZ
The 28th annual HNBA National Moot Court Competition was brought together 32 teams of law students from the nation’s top law schools to argue a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. This year’s problem was UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE TWELFTH CIRCUIT STUDENTS FOR EQUITY IN ADMISSIONS, INC., Plaintiff – Appellant, v. TRUSTEES OF CONTINENTAL COLLEGE, Defendant – Appellee. A case modeled after Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (Affirmative Action case).
Team members included Amy Crea, Katherine Santamaria Mendez, and Hailey Oestreicher.
Coach: Esteban Rivera