Law school team wins regional ABA championship

Liberty University School of Law sent two teams to the regional ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) in Washington, D.C. last week. Members are pictured here in front of the United States Federal District Court for the District of Columbia. They are, left to right, Matthew Hegarty (3L), Timothy Todd (2L), Ben Walton (3L), Professor Scott Thompson, Professor Nancy Kippenhan, Melanie Good (3L), Andrew Connors (3L) and Hannah Reichel (2L). 

A Liberty University School of Law team took first place in the regional ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) held last week in Washington, D.C. Two teams from the law school were among 33 teams representing 21 schools from 10 states and the District of Columbia.

The team of Timothy Todd, Ben Walton and Matthew Hegarty was named Regional Champion, beating teams from Wake Forest University, the University of Mississippi, George Mason University and the top-ranked team from Georgetown University. They will advance to represent Liberty at the national competition in Chicago in April.

In addition to the regional championship, Liberty brought home three of the top four oralist awards from the tournament. Timothy Todd, Ben Walton and Andrew Connors were dubbed top, second best and fourth best oral advocates in the region, respectively.

“I have not seen such consistent performances at this level in my years of coaching,” said Scott Thompson, coach and director of the Center for Lawyering Skills. “All four of our oralists delivered top-notch performances that will stack up against the best in the nation.”

He said Liberty was one of only two schools that had both of its teams in the final eight at the tournament.

“Our students were outstanding in every aspect of the competition, and they glorified the Lord in their demeanor and in the use of their gifts and talents that God has given them,” Thompson said.

Law professor Nancy Kippenhan also coached the Liberty teams.

This is the second year in a row that Liberty has advanced to the ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition.

• For more information about Liberty University School of Law, please call (434) 592-5300 or visit www.law.liberty.edu.