Liberty University School of Law

Moot Court Competitions

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Moot Court is widely recognized by judges and legal employers as a law school activity that prepares students for the practice of law.

Here is your opportunity to exercise your legal analysis skills in both written and oral form.

Learn how to be an effective advocate as you help represent Liberty University School of Law in national Moot Court competitions. Moot court is a vital resume builder, especially if you are seeking a judicial clerkship.

See Moot Court Awards and Honors

Purpose

The Moot Court Board’s purpose is to:

  • Train students in the development, use, and practice of written and oral appellate advocacy skills
  • Develop, facilitate, and administer intramural moot court competitions
  • Select students, with the assistance of the faculty advisors, to represent Liberty University School of Law in intercollegiate moot court competitions
  • Assist the faculty in research and development of material for use in extracurricular training and activities in the area of moot court
  • Assist the faculty in the training of law students in the skills of moot court
  • Uphold the mission of Liberty University School of Law and use the opportunities that membership on the Moot Court Board provides to share this mission

Participation Requirements

  • All first-year law students are required to compete in a moot court tournament
  • Participation in subsequent years is voluntary, but you must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5
  • No experience is necessary, but you must have both strong writing and oral skills

Moot Court Board, 2023-2024

  • Chair: Payton Gonzalez
  • Vice-Chair: Maggie Cassidy
  • Secretary: Destiny George
  • Internal Tournament Coordinator: Kara Davis
  • Hospitality Coordinator: Kristy Batista
  • Research and Scheduling Coordinator: Cameron Andrews
  • Undergraduate Liaison: Julia Robertson

Competitions

The Moot Court Board holds two tournaments each year: the 2L / 3L Liberty Cup tournament in the fall semester and the George and Helen Hermestroff 1L Moot Court Tournament in the spring semester. The Moot Court Board also prepares and sends teams to compete in regional and national tournaments throughout the academic year.

Recent Competition Successes

2023-2024

  • 1L Moot Court Tournament
    • Winner – Arielle Knight ’26
    •  1st Runner-Up – Alexandra Walsh ’26
    • 2nd Runner-Up – Luke Connor ’26
    • 3rd Runner-Up – Collyn Kim ’26
  • Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
    • Winners – Cameron Andrews ’24, Julia Robertson ’24
    • Finalists – Kristy Batista ’24, Maggie Cassidy ’24

2022-2023

  • Liberty Cup 2L/3L Moot Court Tournament
    • Winner – Leah Rodriguez ’23
    • Runner-up – Julia Robertson ’24
    • Best Brief Award – Joshua Davis ‘ 24
  • John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition
    • Quarterfinalists – Rachel Rohrback ’23, Ethan Carlson ’23
  • 1L Moot Court Tournament
    • Winner – Payton Edwards ’25
    • Runner-up – Ethan Payne ’25
  • Regional ABA Client Counseling Winners
    • Winners – Jordan Jalil ’24, Chavioleyette Fenelus ’24
    • Semifinalists – Leah Rodriguez ’23, Rachel Rohrback ’23
  • Regional ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
    • Winners – Zakyrah Hundley ’23, Stephen Hawley ’23
    • Finalists – Payton Gonzales ’24, Caitlyn Switzer ’23
    • Third Best Brief – Caitlyn Switzer ’23
    • Fourth Best Oralist – Caitlyn Switzer ’23
    • Seventh Best Oralist – Payton Gonzales ’24
  • Regional International Trademark Association Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Tournament
    • Winners – Jonas Wells ’23, Kent Pederson ’23
    • Best Brief – Jonas Wells ’23, Kent Pederson ’23
  • Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
    • Winners – Cameron Andrews ’24, Julia Robertson ’24
    • Finalists – Kristy Batista ’24, Maggie Cassidy ’24

2021-2022

  • Liberty Cup 1L Moot Court Tournament
    • Champion- Peyton Gonzalez ‘24 
    • Runner-up- Julia Robertson ‘24 
    • Finalist- Riley Ellis ’24
    • Finalist- Joshua Davis ‘24
  • Billings, Exum, & Frye National Moot Court Competition
    • Octafinalists – Hugh Phillips ‘22, Angelica Romero ‘22
    • Best Oralist – Hugh Phillips ‘22
  • National Telecommunications and Technology Moot Court competition
    • Semifinalists, Second-Best Brief – Mikaela Hoover ‘22, Kent Pederson ‘23
    • Sixth Best Oralist- Kent Pederson ‘23
    • Third Best Oralist – Stephen Hawley ‘23
    • Tenth Best Oralist – Rachel Rohrbach ‘23
  • Tulane Professional Football Negotiation Competition
    • Quarterfinalists – Simone Nettles ‘22, Scott Oakley ‘23
  • ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
    • Third Best Brief –Hugh Phillips ‘22, Caitlyn Switzer ‘23, Rylee Seabolt ‘23
    • Best Oralist – Hugh Phillips ‘22

2020-2021

  • Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition
    • Quarterfinalists – Jacob Gordon ’21, Tanner Havens ’21
  • William B. Spong National Moot Court Competition
    • Octafinalists – Meredith Baker ’22, Eddie Gutierrez ’22, Taylor Hoffman ’22
  • Seigenthaler Sutherland National First Amendment Competition
    • Semi-finalists, Best Brief – Austin Deramo ’22, Victoria Wonson ’22

2019-2020

  • Leroy R. Hassell, Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
    • Best Respondent Brief – Will Baker ’20, Tanner Havens ’21, Madison Wonson ’21
  • National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Regionals
    • Regional Champions – Matthew Hughes ’21, Michael Maunder ’21, Dan Capps ’21
    • Second Best Oralist – Michael Maunder ’21
    • Seventh Best Oralist – Matthew Hughes ’21

2018-2019

  • Billings Exum and Frye Tournament
    • Champions – Natalie Rhoads ’19, John Riordan ’19
    • Best Oralist – John Riordan ’19
  • Leroy R. Hassell, Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
    • Second Place – Annie Compitello ’19, Avery Hill, ’19
    • Second Best Oralist – Annie Compitello ’19
    • Third Best Oralist – Avery Hill ’19
    • Second Best Petitioner’s Brief – Rebekah Meier ’20, AJ Colkitt ’20
  • Hunton Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship
    • Semi-Finalists – John Riordan ’19, Natalie Rhoads ’19
  • National Tax Moot Court Competition
    • Champions; Best Brief – John Riordan ’19, Jonathan Shbeeb ’19, William Baker ’20
  • National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Regionals
    • Regional Champions – Richard Wiley ’19, Annie Compitello ’19, Sarah Anne Barton ’19
    • Fifth Best Oralist – Richard Wiley ’19
    • Sixth Best Oralist – AJ Colkitt ’20

2017-2018

  • Notre Dame National Appellate Advocacy Tournament for Religious Freedom
    • Champions; Best Brief; and Best Oralists – Levi Mauldin ’18, Thomas Morris ’18
  • National Appellate Advocacy Competition
    • Regional Champions and Second Best Brief – John Riordan ’19, Annie Compitello ’19, and Johnna Chick ’18
    • Best Oralist – Natalie Rhoads ’19
    • Second Best Oralist – John Riordan ’19
    • Third Best Oralist – Annie Compitello ’19
  • Leroy R. Hassell Sr National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
    • Third Place – Jonathan Shbeeb ’19 and John Riordan ’19
    • Third Best Oralist – Natalie Rhoads ’19
    • Fifth Best Oralist – Jonathan Shbeeb ’19
  • Prince Evidence Moot Court Competition
    • Champions and Best Brief – Tom Morris ’18 and Alex Stauch ’18
    • Best Oralist in Final Round – Alex Stauch ’18
  • Charleston School of Law National Moot Court Competition
    • Third Best Advocate – Laura King ’19

2016-2017

  • Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association Moot Court Tournament
    • Champions – Whitney Rutherford ’17 and Wes Vorberger ’17
    • Second Best Oralist – Whitney Rutherford ’17
  • Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
    • Champions – Kristen Rose ’17 and Tom Morris ’18
    • Second Best Brief – Kristen Rose ’17 and Tom Morris ’18
    • Best Oralist – Ben Murray ’18
    • Fourth Best Oralist – Meagan White ’17

2015-2016

  • ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, national tournament
    • Quarterfinalists – Whitney Rutherford (’17) and Wes Vorberger (’17)
    • Second Best Brief – Whitney Rutherford (’17) and Wes Vorberger (’17)
    • Sixth Best Oralist – Wes Vorberger (’17)
    • Eighth Best Oralist – Whitney Rutherford (’17)
  • Billings Exum and Frye Tournament
    • Semifinalists – Ben Rathsam (’16) and Robin Jenkins (’16); Erika Lukenbill (’16) and Kristen Rose (’17)
    • Second Best Brief – Ben Rathsam (’16), Robin Jenkins (’16)
  • ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, regional tournament
    • Regional Champions – Justin Reddington (’16), Zach Hurt (’16), Erika Lukenbill (’16), Whitney Rutherford (’17), Wes Vorberger (’17), and Robin Jenkins (’16)
    • Best Oralist – Whitney Rutherford (’17)
    • Second Best Brief – Robin Jenkins (’16), Whitney Rutherford (’17), and Wes Vorberger (’17)
    • Third Best Oralist – Justin Reddington (’16)
    • Fourth Best Oralist – Zach Hurt (’16)
  • 45th Annual William B. Spong Invitational Moot Court Tournament
    • Semifinalists – Megan White (’17) and Tiffany Collins (’17)
    • Quarterfinalists – André Craig (’16) and Jonathan Tanaka (’17)
  • Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship
    • Semifinalists – Chris Collins (’16) Nate Hopkins (’16), and Ben Rathsam (’16)
  • Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Tournament
    • Second Place – Chris Collins (’16), Nate Hopkins (’16)
    • Semifinalists – Erika Lukenbill (’16) and Whitney Rutherford (’17)
    • Best Oralist – Whitney Rutherford (’17)
    • Third Best Oralist – Erika Lukenbill (’16)
    • Fourth Best Oralist – Chris Collins (’16)
    • Fifth Best Oralist – Nate Hopkins (’16)
  • Health Care Moot Court Competition
    • Best Oralist – Justin Reddington (’16)
  • Liberty Cup 2L/3L Moot Court Tournament
    • Champion – Whitney Rutherford (’17)
    • Runner-up – Nathan Hopkins (’16)
    • Best Brief – Robin Jenkins (’16)

Faculty Advisors