Big Year for Board of Advocates

The Jessup team (along with coach, JSP student Alvaro Pereira, bottom center) holding their winning plaques!

Submitted by Sarah Wright-Schreiberg, director of the Advocacy Competitions Program at Berkeley Law.

At the National Trial Competition regionals in Sacramento, Natalie Winters ’18Jordan Fraboni ’18, and Evan Larson ’20 scored in the top two teams overall, securing their spot in the national competition in Austin, Texas in April. Also, following the correction of a scoring error, Natalie Robinson ’18Dustin Vandenberg ’18, and Brandon Hughes ’19 will also advance to nationals. (Ed. note: only two teams from each region advance to Nationals, so Berkeley Law will fill both spots!)

At the The ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) regionals, teammates Kelly Seranko ’19 and Drew Washington ’19 advanced to the final rounds and are headed to nationals in D.C. in April. Drew and Kelly were also recognized for their individual advocacy skills, respectively placing 6th and 10th overall in oral argument.

At the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, our fabulous team (Candice Youngblood ’19Angela Lesnak ’19, and Jack Siddoway ’19) made it to the semifinals round at the national competition. Candice was also recognized for her advocacy skills, earning a Best Oralist nod.

At the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, our team (Griselda Cabrera ’18Michael Riggins ’18Nathalie Alegre ’19, and Madeleine Wykstra ’18) placed second at the Pacific Regional in Portland and will go on to rep Berkeley Law in the final/international rounds next month in D.C. Teammates Nathalie and Madeleine also placed in the top ten best oralists!

At the ABA Mediation Competition, teammates Anna Williams ’19 and Michelle Marshall ’18 advanced to the final rounds and took second place overall.

At the Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition regionals, the hard work and preparation of Noro Mejlumyan ’18 and Tiana Baheri ’19 paid off, as the judges commended them for their poised and passionate advocacy. Thao Thai ’18 and Kelsey Schuetz ’19 also impressed the Lefkowitz judges with their skills—they placed first during oral arguments and won best brief. Thao and Kelsey went on to place second overall and win best brief at nationals in D.C.

Tt the International Academy of Dispute Resolution’s International Mediation Tournament, teammates Kate Bridge ’18, Colette Gulick ’18, and Paula Gergen ’19 took third place. Collette and Kate also earned individual recognition for their mediation skills, winning third and 10th place, respectively.

Of the Berkeley Law students who were recognized as individuals for their oral argument skills, all seven are women and three are women of color!

BOA and competitions are not all about winning, of course—but how wonderful for these teams and individuals to be recognized for their amazing work!