The College of Law is celebrating a historic victory after its National Moot Court Teams delivered a powerhouse performance at the regional competition in Richmond, Virginia, Nov. 21-23.
Competing against some of the strongest programs in the country, WVU earned its first advancement to the National Moot Court Competition Championship in 15 years.
“This is a defining moment that underscores the College’s momentum and growing national footprint,” said Susan Brewer, interim dean of the College of Law.
Sponsored by the New York City Bar Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers, the National Moot Court Competition is one of the most prestigious and longest-running appellate advocacy contests in the country, drawing more than 120 law schools each year.
Two WVU teams competed:
• Team 1: Olivia Giacono-Wright, Aaron Cobb and Sydney Eddy.
• Team 2: Zachary Rohrbaugh, Devin Price and Alan Parsons.
Robert L. Rogers, WVU Law teaching associate professor and faculty advisor to Moot Court, said both teams advanced to the quarterfinals.
“I am beyond proud of our students,” Rogers said. “Team 1 earned the best brief score of the entire competition, including a remarkable 99 out of 100 from one of the toughest graders, demonstrating not only exceptional oral advocacy but elite written advocacy skills.”
Team 1 continued its run by defeating powerhouse programs through the semifinals and earning a spot in the championship round against Campbell University. While they ultimately placed second, their finish secured something even bigger: a ticket to New York City, where they will represent the region at the National Competition.
Steptoe & Johnson lead coach Garrett Spiker praised the students’ performance. “Simply, they were incredible,” Spiker said.
This achievement is substantial, marking only the third time since the 1980s that WVU has advanced to the national level.
“This type of recognition and success comes about after months of hard work and dedication by the students, coaches and faculty. We also thank the many lawyer volunteers and Moot Court alumni who helped our students practice and prepare for competition.” said Susan Brewer.
The championship will take place Jan. 29-31 at the NYC Bar Association in New York.