Penn State Law team advances to quarterfinals in Thurgood-Marshall Moot Competition

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Law’s first-ever Thurgood-Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition team advanced to the quarterfinals and earned recognition for the third-best brief in the contest, which was held last month in Washington, D.C.

The team, consisting of advocates Aarish Sheikh and Frank Sullivan and coach Will Ward, advanced out of the first round of 39 total teams to the second round of 16 teams. In the single-elimination second round, they defeated New York Law School to advance to the quarterfinals of the contest, where they lost to the University of Kansas School of Law.

“I am really proud of our team,” said Ward a third-year student. “Frank and Aarish worked extremely hard and were able to reap the benefits of their hard work.”

The Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition is sponsored by the Federal Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and includes written briefs and oral arguments. This year’s competition addressed emerging issues in federal law. Other teams competing this year included UC Berkeley School of Law, UC Davis School of Law, UCLA School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, and the University of Virginia School of Law.

"The whole process leading up to the competition was a very rewarding experience,” said Sheikh, a second-year law student. “Preparing for the competition provided us with an opportunity to work on, and develop, our skills in brief writing, advocating for our client, and effectively communicating.”

Penn State Law’s moot court participation is guided by the law school’s Moot Court Board, a student organization designed  to develop advocacy skills and prepare its members to compete in moot court and oral advocacy competitions across the country and internationally. The Moot Court Board is run entirely by students. Members are selected annually through a selection competition held at the start of the fall semester.

“This year, numerous Penn State moot court teams advanced at competition and received awards,” said Ward. “I think our success is a testament to the quality of intellectuals at our law school, as well as the self-motivation our teams have to succeed."

Students interested in participating on a 2016-2017 Penn State Law moot court team can contact Sheikh, vice chair of recruiting for the Moot Court Board, at axs1159@psu.edu.