Pictured from Left: former Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott A. Brister; Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Timothy M. Tymkovich; Georgetown team members Kyle Crawford and Anna Deffebach; Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Jennifer Walker Elrod; and Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown
Feb. 17, 2017 – The Georgetown University Law Center team is the first three-time winner of the annual Andrews Kurth Kenyon Moot Court National Championship hosted by the Blakely Advocacy Institute of the University of Houston Law Center.
Georgetown previously won the championship trophy in 2013 and 2015. The three-day competition is underwritten by the law firm of Andrews Kurth Kenyon, LLP.
Competitors from the nation's top 16 moot court law school programs met Jan. 26-28 at the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in downtown Houston to determine the "best of the best." Programs qualified for the ninth annual national championship based on their showings in previous tournaments throughout the year.
Chicago-Kent College of Law placed second overall and won the Second Best Brief
award. Stetson University College of Law won the Best Brief award, which was sponsored by Dentons, LLP. William Calve from St. Mary's University School of Law won the Newell H. Blakely Best Speaker award.
This year's competition problem challenged the participants with the ultimate "what if" question: how would the competitors have argued the NFL's "Deflategate" case for and against New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension if the case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court? The competition problem was especially appropriate since the Patriots arrived in town less than one week later to play the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
Guest judges for the championship round were former Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott A. Brister (now a partner with Andrews Kurth Kenyon); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown; Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Timothy M. Tymkovich; and Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Jennifer Walker Elrod.
Competing schools for this year were: Baylor Law School, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Florida Coastal School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Liberty University School of Law, Michigan State University College of Law, Regent University, SMU Dedman School of Law, South Texas College of Law Houston, St. Mary's University School of Law, Stetson University College of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, UC Hastings College of Law, University of Georgia School of Law, and University of Oklahoma College of Law.
To kick off the competition, the Blakely Advocacy Institute hosted a CLE symposium titled "Sports Law: Behind the Lights, Cameras and Action -Deflategate and Beyond." Speakers – Eric Winston, Raffi Melkonian, Randal A. Hendricks, and moderator Stephanie Stradley – focused on the interaction between law and sports. The panel discussion included an in-depth review of the legal proceedings and opinions related to Deflategate (National Football League Management Council and the National Football League v. National Football League Players Association and Tom Brady). The Symposium was sponsored by Edison, McDowell & Hetherington LLP.
In addition to Andrews Kurth Kenyon, the competition was co-sponsored by the Blakely Advocacy Institute; Edison, McDowell & Hetherington LLP; Lighthouse Data Solutions; the University of Houston Law Center; and the University of Houston Law Alumni Association.
View the symposium here: law.uh.edu/blakely/mcnc/symposium.asp.
Media contacts: Elena Hawthorne, interim UH Law Center Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, 713-743-1125, ehawthor@central.uh.edu; John T. Kling, UH Law Center Communications Manager, 713-743-8298, jtkling@central.uh.edu; and John Brannen, Senior Writer, 713-743-3055, jtbranne@central.uh.edu
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 42,700 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.
The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top tier law school located in the nation's 4th largest city. UHLC's Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Part-time programs rank in the U.S. News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the College of Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It is a powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 11 centers and institutes which fuel its educational mission and national reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
Symposium Speakers pictured from left: Eric Winston, Stephanie Stradley, Raffi Melkonian, and Randal A. Hendricks
