2Ls Courtney Shorts and Shannon Barber (pictured at left, from L-R) won Best Petitioner’s Brief at the BLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition in Austin, Feb. 22-23, 2014. The team was coached by Nikki Chriesman ’09. Their brief qualifies for the Scribes Brief Writing Award Competition. This is our third qualification this school year! Other Texas A&M Law School qualifiers for the Scribes Brief Writing Award Competition this year are 2L Todd Smith and 3L Grace Hwang Sundberg.

3Ls Joshua Graham, Elan Longstreet, Sheena Winkfield, and Marcus Johnson (pictured at left, from L-R) placed 2nd at the BLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in Austin and advanced to the National Finals in Milwaukee March 12-16, 2014. This is the 4th consecutive year we have advanced to nationals at this competition. The team was coached by Doug Greene. Team members Johnson, Winkfield, and Longstreet made law school history in 2013 as members of the first team to win a regional mock trial competition. Johnson, team captain, has been a part of three regional championship mock trial teams. Winkfield and Longstreet were members of two regional mock trial championship teams. Graham has been part of two national championship teams for other advocacy competitions including ADR and Negotiations.

2Ls Casandra Johnson and Michelle Gunter (pictured at left, from L-R) placed 3rd at the BLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition in Austin and advanced to the National Finals to be held in Milwaukee March 12-16, 2014. The team was also coached by Nikki Chriesman ’09.

2Ls Sara Glenn and Ben Smith finished as Regional Quarter-Finalists at the TYLA National Trial Competition held in Fort Worth, also held the weekend of Feb. 22-23, 2014. They were the only team of 2Ls to make it to that level. This is the first time a team from our school has placed this high at this very difficult competition. The team was coached by Second Court of Appeals Justice Lee Gabriel.

Jennifer Ellis, Director of Advocacy Programs at Texas A&M School of Law, proudly invites everyone to “Please join me in congratulating these students and coaches on their incredible achievements. They put in a lot of hard work and time to be able to achieve at this level. They have brought honor to themselves, and to Texas A&M School of Law!”

About the Advocacy Program at Texas A&M School of Law:
Texas A&M School of Law offers various clinical opportunities and advocacy courses to prepare our students to successfully practice law. The Advocacy Program is a key component of Texas A&M School of Law’s focus on experiential learning. Our Moot Court, Mock Trial and Alternative Dispute Resolution teams are nationally recognized. Since the law school’s inception, the program has received 3 international, 11 national, 17 regional and one state championship, 14 best advocate and 13 best brief awards.

2013-2014 Advocacy Successes

• National Champions:  Southwestern National Entertainment Law Negotiation Competition
• Best Advocate:  ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Brooklyn Regional
• Best Petitioner’s Brief:  John Marshall International Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
• Best Respondent’s Brief:  Pepperdine National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition
• Best Petitioner’s Brief:  BLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition – Rocky Mountain Regional
• International Finalists:  John Marshall International Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
• International Finalists:  International Academy of Dispute-Resolution Mediation Tournament
• National Quarter-finalists:  Pepperdine National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition
• National Quarter-Finalists and Regional 2nd place:  BLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition – Rocky Mountain Regional
• Regional Champion and advanced to national finals:  ABA Client Counseling Competition – Houston Regional
• 3rd Place Regional and advanced to national finals:  BLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition – Rocky Mountain Regional
• Regional Finalists - ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Brooklyn Regional
• National Octo-finalists:  Chicago Bar Association National Moot Court Competition
• 2nd Place Best Advocate:  Mack Kidd Administrative Law Moot Court Competition
• 3rd Place Best Advocate:  Pepperdine National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition
• Regional 3rd place:  ABA Negotiation Competition – Fort Worth Regional 
• Regional Semi-Finalists:  National Trial Competition – Fort Worth Regional
• Regional Semi-Finalists:  ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Brooklyn Regional
• Regional Semi-Finalists:  ABA National Labor and Employment Trial Advocacy Competition – Dallas Regional
• Outstanding New Mediation Program Award:  International Academy of Dispute-Resolution Mediation Tournament
• 8th Place Best Individual Mediator:  International Academy of Dispute-Resolution Mediation Tournament