Liberty Law welcomes back alumni to serve as judges at annual moot court tournament

Liberty University School of Law held its George and Helen Hermestroff 1L Moot Court Tournament March 17-22, a tradition for its first-year law students. This was the 21^st year for the competition, which has been held annually since the school was founded 20 years ago. Making this year’s tournament even more special is that Liberty Law invited three of their own alumni who are current judges to serve on the final round and provide feedback to students.

The tournament culminates in the final round, which is held in Liberty Law’s Supreme Courtroom, and is judged by nine actual jurists from across the country. The tournament gives Liberty Law students a unique opportunity to argue before real judges in their first year of law school. This year’s final panel judges consisted of jurists from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Indiana Court of Appeals, and the Iowa Court of Appeals, among others.

The Liberty Law alumni judges on the final panel were the Honorable Charles Helm (’15) from the Florida Fifth Judicial Circuit, the Honorable Todd Kirby (’11) from the 10th Judicial Circuit in West Virginia (Raleigh County), and the Honorable Rachel D. Thompson (’12) from the Roanoke County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for the 23rd Judicial District of Virginia.

There are currently eight Liberty Law alumni serving as judges around the country, and all have returned to Liberty to judge moot court tournaments. Participation in the tournament is required as part of the 1L curriculum.

The experience gives alumni a chance to give back to their alma mater and reflect on their own time as students.

“I had such a great time coming back to Liberty. Lynchburg is definitely a second home to me and my family,” Helm said. “It really brings back some of the best memories with some of the best friends I’ve made. Law school was one of the busiest times of my life, but there was definitely a peace in the chaos.”

He said he was open and transparent with the students and used the opportunity “to make new connections and be a connection for my future fellow alums.”

“The level of talent, preparation, and professionalism that Liberty is producing is off the charts,” he added. “As a guest judge, I got to see just a sample of the product that the law school is producing, and it makes me so proud to hang that Liberty Law degree in my chambers. The students were better prepared than many practicing attorneys, and they still have two years of law school left.”

Rachel Thompson said she was also impressed by the students and proud to be a part of this year’s tournament.

“It feels like yesterday I was sitting in those chairs, incredibly nervous, facing the bench. To be on the other side of it was a bit surreal,” she said. “The competitors were fabulous and will make great attorneys one day. The level of detail in their responses was impressive and the poise they maintained under pressure was spectacular. Law school is the necessary and fundamental lab where the student is learning the building blocks of law through exercises like this moot court tournament. Tournaments like these are so important to a budding law student and future attorney.”

First-year student Randall Shirey won the tournament after passing through two preliminary rounds, two elimination rounds, and the finals. He said he was inspired by the alumni judges who gave him positive feedback about his public speaking skills and ability to recall cases.

“It was encouraging to see judges who were Liberty Law students just like myself as little as 10 years ago. It helped show me how much our school invests in their students and alumni and, in return, how much these (former) students give back throughout their career.”

First-year student Jaymee Wagner, who placed second, said the judges’ feedback was assurance that her Liberty Law education is preparing her well for her career.

“It’s inspiring to see Liberty Law alumni who are out there making a difference in the legal world and yet also willing to come back and invest into the next generation of Liberty Law students,” she said. “Several of the judges remarked that all four of us (in the final round) were very prepared and poised, even more so than many of the attorneys they see in court. It was encouraging to know that our professors are preparing us well to be excellent advocates.”

Liberty Law focuses on two foundational pillars, according to Professor Scott Thompson, faculty advisor for moot court and director of the Center for Lawyering Skills: helping students grow in their faith and Christian worldview and training them to be excellent lawyers, equipping them with the skills needed make an impact in their career.

“Having our alumni, who competed in this tournament when they were 1Ls, return and judge their future colleagues is a blessing to our students because they get to see the accomplishments of those who have gone before them,” he said. “It is also special to the alumni who then go back home encouraged by the fact that we are continuing to turn out lawyers who are going to have an impact in every part of the legal world.”