McGeorge's Moot Court Honors Board to represent Pacific at finals in NYC

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law’s award-winning moot court team will again represent the university during the New York City Bar’s 70th annual National Moot Court Competition early next year. This will mark McGeorge’s seventh year in a row that it has qualified for the finals. Moot Court Honors Board members made a strong showing in two competitions in mid-November.

In the regional rounds of the National Moot Court competition held at University of California, Hastings College of the Law, McGeorge students Kim Carrubba, Joshua Bailey and Flor Paz took the award for “Second Best Brief” and reached the semifinals before losing the round to another McGeorge team made up of students Mike Adams, Ashley Gugino and Carly Moran. 

Moran, Gugino and Adams advanced to the finals, where they lost an exceedingly close round to a team from Hastings. Their second-place standing means they will represent Pacific in the February finals in New York City.

“The competition fields over 150 teams, with only 30 advancing to the finals, so the continuing success in this major competition is a source of pride for all of us at McGeorge,” said Ed Telfeyan, professor of lawyering skills and director of the moot court program.

Telfeyan, Professor of global layering skills Erin Muilenburg, Gil Vega ’09, Tim Kamermayer ’12, Jackie Hang ’15 and student Grant Furukawa coached the teams. Second-year student Michelle Yegiyants served as the research assistant.

“It was truly an honor representing McGeorge in the regional round of the 70th annual New York City Bar Moot Court competition,” Moran said. “Our team feels particularly grateful for our wonderful coaches who prepared us to compete against so many talented schools. We hope to make McGeorge proud as we compete in the final round of the competition in New York City this coming February.”

Gugino echoed Moran saying their coaches ensured the team was prepared for the questions the judges would ask. “It not only helped improve our oratory skills but it helped build up our confidence in our abilities as advocates,” she said.

In the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition tournament, students Consuelo Amezcua and Shaelyn Stewart advanced to the semifinal rounds before being eliminated. The team was coached by Professor Dan Croxall, Paige Davidson ’19 and Maricar Pascual ’16, and student coach Dennis Eros. Arvi Kaur served as the student research assistant.

Overall, McGeorge’s Moot Court Honor Board currently has one win, one second-place finish and two semifinalist teams, placing it 13th in the nation.