Moot Court

Moot Court

What is Moot Court?

Moot court is the simulation of appellate argument.  Two-person legal teams compete in front of a panel of judges.  Students argue a hypothetical legal case known as “the competition case.”  To do so, students must research the cases and laws cited in “the competition case.”  Moot court judges ask students questions and grade the students on the basis of their knowledge of the case, their response to questioning, their forensic skills, and their demeanor.  Oral argument lasts 40 minutes (each side gets 20 minutes) and each student is expected to speak for a minimum of 7 minutes. If you are interested in an in-depth history of moot court at CSULB check out this history.

Follow CSULB Moot Court on IG:  @csulbmootcourt 

Watch CSULB Moot Court Recruitment Video:  Works best in InPrivate window.

CSULB Moot Court – YouTube

Why Participate in Moot Court?

It is fun and rewarding. It is challenging. It is good experience for law school and a legal career. It will teach you how to think, speak, and write in a clearer and more precise manner. You will learn valuable research skills. You will improve your logical and critical thinking skills. You will meet and network with a variety of important people in the legal, academic, and political community. Read What Former Moot Court Students Say About Moot Court

How Do I Join?

Moot Court is NOT a club.  It is a class:  POSC 417.  You apply to be admitted.  POSC 417 is a demanding and rigorous course. Students should anticipate a challenging but exciting and extremely worthwhile experience.  Students should be serious, reliable, responsible, and professional.

Enrollment in this course is by instructor permission only and applicants need to apply for acceptance.  Applications are due by March 17, 2024.  Download an Application here:  

moot_court_application_form_for_fall_2024 moot_court_application_form_for_fall_2024

Please email Professor Ringel at lewis.ringel@csulb.edu or lewisringel@verizon.net  

Who Coaches CSULB Moot Court?

You will be coached by a several individuals.  Most are former undergraduate mooters, many, for CSULB, and many are attorneys.  Some will be on campus and some over Zoom.  Here are a few of the assistant coaches whose instruction you can expect to receive and from which you will benefit:

Moot Court Head Coach: Biography_of_Lewis_Ringel

Moot Court Coaches:  Assistant Coaches: Patrick DysonJudy Hails, Kelsey Stapler Morris, Alex_Lohman, Claire Cahill, Kevin Poush, John A. Hugie, and Ryan C. Chapman.

Who Judges Moot Court?

Moot court judges can be most anyone who is familiar with the record and the law or the legal system. Judges are typically lawyers or in some cases law students.  Many former mooters judge at events.  Many tournaments feature judges and justices, and law school deans and faculty.  Many judges are members of Inns of Court.  The only restriction is that judges cannot be undergraduates. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in judging at future tournaments please contact Professor Ringel

News: 

CSULB finishes 4th out in the nation for 2023-24 in oral advocacy, 9th in petitioner written advocacy, and 2nd in respondent written brief!!

CSULB Moot Court Awards and Highlights:

  • Five National Titles:  Two for Oral Advocacy and Three for Written Advocacy
  • Twenty-four National Written Brief Awards:  Thirteen Top Five and Nine Top Ten
  • Sixteen National Top Orator Awards:  Eleven Top Ten and Five Top Eleven-Twenty-five
  • Fifteen Regional Titles
  • Twenty-one Regional Finalists
  • Sixty-Three Titles: (Sixty for oral advocacy and three for written brief)
  • Forty-One First Place Finishes in Tournaments, Classics and Invitationals for Oral Advocacy
  • Nineteen First Place Finishes in Scrimmages
  • One hundred and thirteen semi-finalists in tournaments, classics, and invitational competitions (does not include scrimmages)
  •  
  • Written Advocacy: National Tournaments
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy National Champions, 2004, 2014, and 2021
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, National Runners-Up, 2013, 2017 and 2024
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 3rd Place, 2020
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 4th Place, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 5th Place 2016 (Tie) and 2023
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 6th Place, 2017
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 7th Place, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2019
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 8th Place, 2020
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 9th Place, 2023 (two teams) and 2024
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 10th Place, 2015, 2017, and 2019
  •  
  • Oral Advocacy: National Tournaments
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Champions, 2003 and 2022
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Finalist (2nd Place), 2014
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Semi-Finalists (3rd Place) (hybrid with Patrick Henry College), 2017 and (4th place) 2024 
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Quarterfinalist (Tied for 5th place), 2019, 2021, and 2022 (two)
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Orator Awards, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (sixteen advocates:  eleven top ten and five top twenty-five).
  • American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Sweet 16, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (twenty-two teams/three were hybrids with Patrick Henry College and two with the College of Wooster)
  •  
  • Oral Advocacy: Regional Tournaments
  • Frank Guliuzza Western Regional National Qualifier Champions, 2019, 2020, and 2022
  • Western Regional Tournament Champions, 2012, and 2014
  • Eastern Regional Champions, 2022.
  • Eastern Michigan University Regional Tournament Champions, 2020 and 2021
  • Midwest Regional Tournament Champions, 2020 and 2021
  • Windy City Regional Tournament Champions, 2018 and 2021
  • Upper Midwest Regional Tournament Champions, 2013, 2014, and 2016
  • Southern California Regional Runners-Up, 2023 
  • Frank Guliuzza Western Regional National Qualifier Runners-Up, 2023
  • South Atlantic Regional Tournament Runners-Up, 2021
  • Atchafalaya Classic Regional Tournament Runners-Up, 2017 (hybrid with Patrick Henry College)
  • Upper Midwest Regional Tournament Runners-Up, 2015
  • Western Regional Runners-Up, 2003 and 2016 (hybrid with Patrick Henry College)
  • Atchafalaya Classic Regional Tournament Regional Tournament, Semi-Finalist, 2018
  • Mid-Michigan Regional Semi-Finalist, 2022
  • Golden Gate Regional Semi-Finalist, 2023
  • Western Regional Semi-Finalist, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2018 (six total)
  • Windy City Regional Semi-Finalist, 2016, 2017, and 2019
  •  
  • Oral Advocacy: Invitational Tournaments and Classics
  • Atchafalaya Classic, Champions, 2016 (hybrid with Patrick Henry College)
  • Atchafalaya Classic, 3rd Place, 2016
  • Capitol Classic, 3rd Place, 2008
  • California Classic Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023
  • California Classic Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Runners-Up, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2o23
  • California-Massachusetts Classic Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2014 and 2015
  • California-Texas Classic Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2013 and 2o20
  • College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational Champions 2015 and 2017
  • College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational Runners Up 2015 and 2022
  • College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational 3rd Place 2019 and 2022
  • College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational 4th Place 2017 and 2019
  • CSULB Fall Classic Tournament Champions, 2017, 2018, and 2019 
  • CSULB Fall Classic Tournament Runners-Up, 2017 
  • Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2014, 2020, and 2023
  • Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament 2nd Place, 2018, 2020, and 2023
  • Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament 3rd Place, 2016, 2018 and 2023
  • Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament 4th Place, 2018 and 2023
  • Fall Moot Court Classic, Champions, 2021 (with Morehouse College)
  • Fall Moot Court Classic, 3rd Place, 2021 (with Morehouse College)
  • Hastings College of Law National Moot Court Invitational Champions, 2018 and 2020
  • Hastings College of Law National Moot Court Invitational 4th Place, 2018
  • Long Beach (49er) Classic Fall Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
  • Long Beach (49er) Classic Spring Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2015
  • Rocky Mountain Invitational Champions, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023
  • Rocky Mountain Invitational Runner’s Up, 2018, 2021, and 2023
  • Rocky Mountain Invitational 3rd Place, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023
  • Rocky Mountain Invitational 4th Place, 2019, 2021, and 2023
  • South Texas College of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament, 3rd Place, 2012
  • Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament 3rd Place (hybrid with UNT), 2016
  • Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Runners-Up, 2013
  • Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament 3rd Place, 2013
  • Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament 4th Place, 2013
  • Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament, 2016 Semi-Finalist (hybrid with UNT)
  • Texas Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2012
  • UNT Dallas School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Invitational 3rd Place, 2015

Winners of the George and Beverly August Moot Court Achievement Award

2022-23  Jacquelene Zambrano

2021-22  Aleece Hanson, Vaishalee Chaudhary, and Marco Romero

2020-21  The Squad:  Vaishalee Chaudhary, Aleece Hanson, Barry Klein, Alexis Liautaud, John Littles, Kelton Munch, Marco Romero, Celeste Sanchez, Georgina Tierney, and Jessica Zatarain

2019-20  Amanda Botelho

2018-19  Anna Sasaki and Jonah Zeko

2017-18  Mindy Vo

2016-17  Myles Chaney and Sarah Geesaman

2015-16  Justin Adofina and Julieta Hernandez

2014-15  Krist Biakanja, III and Kevin D. Poush

2013-14  Ashley Hall and Kyle Maury

Videos to Watch:

Watch Ali Piane’s championship round in Loyola Law School’s Scott Moot Court Exhibition.  She is the fourth speaker.    Scott Moot Court Exhibition 04 13 2021 – YouTube 

Watch CSULB’s Mindy Vo and Anna Sasaki’s successful championship round at the 2018 Hastings College of the Law National Moot Court Championship.  

Watch videos of other past rounds, and find the rules for the National Written Brief Contest at http://amcamootcourt.org/

2018 Rocky Mountain 2nd Place
2018 Rocky Mountain Invitational Runners Up: Jonah Zeko and Anna Sasaki
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Follow Moot Court on IG:  @csulbmootcourt 

Curent Updates are on IG.

For an Archive of Past News and Past Updates See Below:

2022 Fall Update:

CSULB earns a 4th bid to the AMCA’s National Championship!!!

Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente reached the semi-finals at the Mid-Michigan Regional held in Lansing, MI.  In doing so, they qualified for the American Moot Court Association national championship which will be held in Baton Rouge, LA.  De La Fuente was voted the 3rd best orator.

L to R:  Coach Alex Lohman and Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente.  De La Fuente being named the number 3 orator.

CSULB wins Speaker Awards at the Great Lakes Regional!!

Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera were voted the 2nd and 6th best orators at the Great Lakes Regional held in Saginaw, MI.  Browne and Soto-Rivera advanced to the Sweet 16.  A high-light of the trip was a visit with Coach Pat Dyson’s mother’s home for a home cooked meal.

 

Special Home Cooked Dinner by Pat’s Mom’s.  Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera with some hardware.

CSULB wins the 2022 Eastern Regional!!!

Ashley Harding and Jacquelene Zambrano won the 2022 Eastern Regional held in Fitchburg, MA.  This is the first time CSULB has won the Eastern Regional and it is CSULB’s second regional title of the season. Harding and Zambrano (who was voted the 7th best orator) advance to the American Moot Court Association national championship.  They will be joined by quarter-finalists Muskan Jawanda (who was voted the 2nd best orator) and Isabella Thompson.  The Eastern Regional, AMCA largest, is one of the oldest and most prestigious of all regionals.  

L-R:  Zambrano and Jawanda     Zambrano, Harding, and Coach Hails   Harding, Paul Weizer and Zambrano   Harding, Zambrano, Jawanda and Thompson.

CSULB braves the cold in Ypsilanti, MI.

Grady Smith and Morgan Barragan advanced to the Sweet 16 at the EMU Regional held in Ypsilanti, MI.  Barragan was voted the 4th best orator.

Braving the elements                     Morgan Barragan (4th orator)    Sweet 16:  Smith and Barragan   CSULB’s fridge on wheels!!!

CSULB wins 2022 Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Emma Nelson and John Littles won the 2022 Western Regional held in Fresno, CA.  This marks the 5th Western Regional title for CSULB and the 11th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional final.  The second longest streak in the nation.   Nelson and Littles defeated a team from UC Santa Barbara in the finals.  The team advances to the American Moot Court Association national championship which will be held in Baton Rouge, LA.  

The competition is named for the most successful undergraduate moot court coach of all time the late Dr. Frank Guliuzza (1957-2019).  Dr. Guliuzza was a long-time friend to many CSULB moot court alums.  CSULB is honored to have brought the trophy to honor Dr. Guliuzza back to Long Beach the site of many of Dr. Gugliuzza’s teams’ successes as well as the site of many friendly battles between teams coached by Dr. Guliuzza and CSULB teams.

From L-R:  John Littles and Emma Nelson, the 2022 Frank Guliuzza Memorial Western Regional

Trophy, and Coach Ringel, Littles, Nelson, and Coach Krist Biakanja, IV.

Moot Court is back in person.   

CSULB’s Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera won the 2022 49er Classic!!  Their classmates, Muskan Jawanda and John Littles finished second.  CSULB’s Grady Smith and Morgan Barragan and USAFA’s Mason Bammer and Claire Melton also qualified for the semi-finals.  This is a bi-annual competition with USAFA.  It is also an honor to host their terrific teams and CSULB looks foward to doing so again in 2024.  

From L to R:  Coach Lewis Ringel,

Grady Smith, Mikayla Brown, 

Jocelyn Soto-Rivera, Morgan Barragan,

Muskan Jawanda, John Littles, and 

Assistant Coach Alex Lohman. 

CSULB FINALLY got to travel again!!!  

CSULB’s Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente finished second at the 2022 College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational in Worchester, MA.  Their classmates, Emma Nelson and John Littles finished third.  Ashley Harding and Jacquelene Zambrano and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera and Mikayla Brown qualified for the quarterfinals.  During the trip, CSULB students visited a variety of locations in New England including the the Rhode Island State House and State Supreme Court and the campus of Brown University.  This is a bi-annual trip and CSULB looks forward to visiting again in 2024.

L-R:  Alexa Alvarez, Stevie De La Fuente,     L-R:  Jacquelene Zambrano, Ashley Harding,

Coach Ringel, Emma Nelson, and John        Coach Ringel, Mikayla Brown, and Jocelyn

Littles at the College of the Holy Cross.        Soto-Rivera.

George Washington spoke in       Outside the RI State Supreme

this building in RI in 1790.            Court in Providence, RI.

CSULB defends its title in the Rocky Mountain Invitational

CSULB’s Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera won the 2022 Rocky Mountain Invitational. This is the 4th straight year in which CSULB has won this annual event.  In addition to Browne and Soto-Rivera, CSULB’s Grady Smith, Morgan Barragan, Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente qualified for the quarter-finals.  CSULB had five top ten orators: Barragan (3rd), De La Fuente (4th), Muskan Jawanda and Grady Smith (T-5th), Soto-Rivera (8th), and Browne (10th). 

L to R:  Soto-Rivera and Browne before the final round, the 2022 squad with its fourth straight Rocky Invitational Trophy, the 2022 squad and its coaches, and Soto-Rivera, Judge Daren Vahle, and Browne.

2022 Spring Update:

CSULB’s Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera won the 2022 California Classic.  They defeated CSULB’s Grady Smith and Emma Nelson in a round in front of five California jurists (California Court of Appeal Justices Lamar Baker and Dorothy Kim and R. Gary Hastings (ret.), Social Security Administration Judge John Tobin, and Superior Court Judge Maria Puente-Porras).  CSULB’s Alexa Alvarez and Morgan Barragan also qualified for the semi-finals.  Both teams in the finals had been undefeated until the final round.  Browne was voted the top orator.  CSULB’s Stevie De La Fuente was voted the number 3 orator.  The top ten was rounded out by CSULB’s Barragan (4th), Nelson (6th), Soto-Rivera (7th), and Muskan Jawanda (10th).  

2021-2022 Season Update:

2022 Nationals:

CSULB’s Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero win the AMCA National Championship for Appellate Advocacy!!!

Watch the Video of the Final Round Here: Final Round Videos — American Moot Court Association (amcamootcourt.org) 

2022 AMCA National Champions Marco

Romero and Vaishalee Chaudhary

Coach Lewis Ringel Presents President Jane Close Conoley with the 2022 AMCA National Champion Trophy.

CSULB hoists the 2022 AMCA National Championship Trophy!!

The CSULB team and coaches with President

Jane Close Conoley.

Vaishalee Chaudhary, Coach Lewis Ringel,

President Jane Close Conoley, and Marco

Romero.

Appellate Advocacy:

For the second straight year, CSULB’s Moot Court Program has produced a national champion.  Over the weekend of January 21-23, CSULB Seniors Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the American Moot Court Association’s (AMCA) Oral Advocacy National Championship.  This is CSULB’s second national championship in oral advocacy.  Only one other school has won more.  CSULB is one of just two public universities to win a national title for oral advocacy in AMCA’s 22-year history and it is the only public university to qualify for more than one national final (three) and more than two national semi-finals (four).  The competition, which was held on Zoom, featured 100 team from schools such as the University of Chicago, Yale University, Pennsylvania University, and UC Berkley.  Chaudhary and Romero, the only team in AMCA history to win three regional tournaments, won five of five competitions in 2021-22 and went undefeated on the season.   They graduate as the winningest team in CSULB history.   Chaudhary and Romero defeated three teams from the University of Chicago, including one in the finals, one from traditional AMCA powerhouse Patrick Henry College, and their own teammates Kelton Munch and Georgina Tierney (quarter-finalists).  CSULB’s Aleece Hanson and Celeste Sanchez also qualified for the quarter-finals.  This gave CSULB three of the nation’s top 8 teams. 

The final panel featured:

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke, North Carolina Court of Appeals Justice Lucy Inman, California Court of Appeals Justice Lamar Baker, Maryland District Court Judge David Carey, and West Virginia Solicitor General Lindsay See

CSULB won three regionals for the season and earned six bids to nationals.  CSULB’s Jessica Zatarain was named a top ten orator finishing 8th in the nation.  

Written Advocacy:

CSULB’s Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero finished 4th in the nation in respondent written advocacy.  This keeps CSULB’s streak of at least one brief in the top ten over the past twelve years alive!!  Chaudhary and Romero also finished eighth in written brief in 2019-2020. 

Read a tribute to the CSULB team in the Congressional Record: Congressional Record Extension of Remarks | Congress.gov | Library of Congress Go to Extensions of Remarks.  E 93.  

 

Fall 2021

CSULB Earns Record 6th Bid:

On December 3-4, CSULB’s Emma Nelson and Jessica Zatarain earned a bid to the AMCA national championship by advancing to the quarter-finals of the Great Lakes Regional.  This marks the first time in CSULB history that it has earned 6 bids to nationals.  Zatarain (4th) and Nelson (t-10th) earned orator awards.

CSULB Defends Its Title as Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament Champs!!!

On November 19-20, Aleece Hanson and Celeste Sanchez won the second ever Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament.  Hanson (1st) and Sanchez (3rd) both were awarded orator awards.  CSULB defeated the same team from Patrick Henry College the finals as it did in 2020.  The final panel included the Solicitor General of West Virginia, Lindsay See, and Judge John Tobin.   This is the second time in CSULB history that it has won three regionals in a single season.  The other time was 2020.  

CSULB-College of Wooster Hybrid Team Defends Its Title as Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament Champs!!!

On November 19-20, Georgina Tierney (College of Wooster) and Kelton Munch (CSULB) defended their title as the Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament Champs.  The Midwest Regional is one of the oldest and most storied of undergraduate regionals.  It was just the second time that a student from CSULB had competed in the Midwest Regional.  Tierney (5th) and Munch (7th) both were awarded orator awards.  Tierney and Munch, who have never met face-to-face, defeated a team from Patrick Henry College in the finals.  Munch is just the second mooter in AMCA history to compete in multiple regionals without ever losing a round — the other being CSULB’s Kevin Poush.

CSULB Earns Bid at Eastern Regional!!!

On November 19-20, Jake Hill and John Littles earned a bid to the AMCA national championship by finishing among the top 8 of the Eastern Regional.  Over 50 teams competed.  The Eastern Regional is one of the oldest and most storied of undergraduate regionals.  It was the first time that a student from CSULB had competed in the Eastern Regional.   Hill and Littles beat a team from USC to claim their bid to the national championship.  

CSULB Wins Windy City Regional!!!

On November 12-13, CSULB won the Windy City Regional.  Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero defeated the University of Chicago in the finals.  In doing so, Chaudhary and Romero become the first team in the history of the American Moot Court Association to win three regional titles.  This marks the 2nd Windy City title for CSULB and the 10th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional finals.  The second longest streak in the nation.  Romero (4th) and Chaudhary (5th) were both awarded orator awards.    

CSULB Runners-Up at South Atlantic Regional!!! 

On November 13-14, CSULB finished second in the South Atlantic Regional.  Kamra Jackson and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera, the last seeded team to advance to elimination rounds, reeled off three straight upset wins before falling to a team from Cal Berkeley.  Along the way, they defeated two defending regional champions (including the 2020 champ of the South Atlantic Regional) both of which had finished among the Sweet 16 at the 2020 AMCA national championship tournament.  Jackson (2nd) and Soto-Rivera (17th) were both awarded orator awards.

Spring 2021

CSULB wins the 2021 11th Annual California Classic

CSULB’s Jessica Zatarain and Nichole Athanitis won the 11th Annual California Classic.  This was the first California Classic to be held on Zoom.  It was the 10th California Classic title in CSULB history and the 7th in a row.  Zatarain and Athanitis dominated from start to finish winning 20 of 20 ballots.  CSULB’s Aleece Hanson and Ryan Marden finished third.  Hanson was named the top orator with a 380/400 average.  Kellie Sala, Marden, and Zatarain were also named top ten orators.  

2019-2020 Season Wrap-Up:

A Season to Remember — one of “Unfinished Business” and “Squads” — ends with a National Championship in Written Brief

A most unusual (and successful) moot court season has ended.  Competing entirely on Zoom and through emailed PDFs CSULB had a historic season — one that culminated in seven wins in oral advocacy and a national title for written advocacy.  The camaraderie and bonds that were built over Zoom that stretched as far as Ohio were extraordinary.  The squad proved what can happen when everyone works for one common purpose and pulls the same end of the rope in the same direction. 

Written Advocacy:

Aleece Hanson and Barry Klein won the national championship for written respondent brief advocacy.  For Klein this was his second top three finish and first national title.  Overall, CSULB has won the national written brief title three times — third most in AMCA history.  It has finished second twice.  

Oral Advocacy:

Teams from CSULB, including one comprised of a student from the College of Wooster, won seven competitions.  This included three regionals.  

At the AMCA National Championship the team of Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero advanced to the quarter-finals/elite 8 and finished fifth in the nation.  They closed the season with an extraordinary record of 40 wins and 2 defeats.  The best in CSULB history.  They become the fifth team in CSULB history to advance to the national quarter-finals and the fourth team to advance to multiple national sweet sixteens.  They became the second CSULB team to successfully defend a regional title. 

Regional Champs Georgina Tierney and Kelton Munch and Aleece Hanson and Barry Klein and Regional Quarter-Finalists Alexis Liautaud and Jessica Zatarain all advanced to the second elimination round before being defeated.  This marks the first time in CSULB history that all of its teams made it to the second elimination round.  Munch was named the 15th orator in the nation and seven of the squad’s mooters posted averages of a 360 or better (360/400 is an A).  

CSULB DEFENDS its title at the Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero repeated at champions at the 2020 Western Regional.  This marks the 4th Western Regional title for CSULB and the 9th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional finals.  The second longest streak in the nation.   Chaudhary and Romero both were awarded orator awards.  Chaudhary and Romero defeated a team from UCSB in the finals.  

CSULB Wins the Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Aleece Hanson and Barry Klein won the first ever Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament.  This is the second time in CSULB history that it has won multiple regionals — the last time being in 2014 — and the third time in CSULB history that it placed teams in multiple regional finals.  Hanson and Klein both were awarded orator awards.  Hanson and Klein defeated teams from Patrick Henry College in the semis and the finals.  

CSULB-College of Wooster Hybrid Team Wins the Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Georgina Tierney (College of Wooster) and Kelton Munch (CSULB) won the Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament.  The Midwest Regional is one of the oldest and most storied of undergraduate regionals.  It was the first time that a student from CSULB had competed in the Midwest Regional.  This is the first time in CSULB history that it has won three regionals in a single season.  Tierney and Munch both were awarded orator awards.  Tierney and Munch, who have never met face-to-face, defeated a team from the College of Wooster in the finals.  

News from the 2019-20 Season:

CSULB wins the 2020 Hastings College of Law Moot Court Invitational!!!

Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the 2020 Hastings College of Law Moot Court Invitational in a thrilling 3-2 round over a terrific team from the University of North Texas.  Chaudhary (4th) and Romero (2nd) won top orator awards for preliminary rounds.  Romero won the David Casarrubias Scholarship Awarded to the top orator of the final round.  Casarrubias is an alum of both Hastings College of Law and CSULB.  Aleece Hanson and Alexis Liautaud finished in 5th place.

Watch Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romer’s successful championship round at the 2020 Hastings College of the Law National Moot Court Championship.  

https://uchastings.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=0734239e-0325-4103-beef-ab6801475152

From L to R:  Aleece Hanson, Alexis Liautaud, Barry Klein, Vaishalee Chaudhary, Judy Hails (assistant coach), Marco Romero, and Lewis Ringel (head coach).

CSULB finishes third in the Nation in Respondent Written Brief and tied for 9th in the nation in oral advocacy!!!

This January, Moot Court teams competed in the National Moot Court tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero advanced to the national sweet 16 and finished tied for 9th in the nation in oral advocacy and 8th in the nation in written petitioner advocacy.  Amanda Botelho and Barry Klein finished 3rd in the nation in written respondent advocacy. Ms. Botelho was voted the 12th best orator in the nation.  This is the tenth consecutive season that CSULB has placed a team in the Sweet 16 of the American Moot Court Association’s National Championship and the tenth consecutive season that CSULB has finished in the top ten of the national written brief championship. CSULB is the only program in the nation to have earned both distinctions in ten consecutive seasons.

2020 Nationals_Botelho, Ringel, Klein

From L to R:  Amanda Botelho, Professor 

Lewis Ringel, and Barry Klein.

CSULB wins the Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the 2019 Western Regional.  This marks the 3rd Western Regional title for CSULB and the 8th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional finals.  The second longest streak in the nation.   Chaudhary was named the 5th best orator.  Chaudhary and Romero defeated a team from Patrick Henry College in the finals.  The team advances to the American Moot Court Association national championship which will be held in Baton Rouge, LA.  

The competition was recently renamed for the most successful undergraduate moot court coach of all time the late Dr. Frank Guliuzza (1957-2019).  Dr. Guliuzza was a long-time friend to many CSULB moot court alums.  CSULB is honored to have brought the first trophy to honor Dr. Guliuzza back to Long Beach the site of many of Dr. Guliuzza’s teams successes as well as the site of many friendly battles between teams coached by Dr. Guliuzza and CSULB teams.

From L to R:  Professor Lewis Ringel (Head Coach) Marco Romero, Vaishalee Chaudhary, and Pat Dyson (Assistant Coach), the 2019 Frank Guliuzza Memorial Trophy, and Marco Romero, Professor Lewis Ringel (Head Coach) and Vaishalee Chaudhary.

NEWS FROM THE 2019 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:  

CSULB’s Marissa Rael and Chris Heffernan and Anna Sasaki and Jonah Zeko finished tied for 5th and tied for 9th in the nation respectively in team oral advocacy.  Rael and Heffernan, the 74th seeded team out of 80, were the fourth team in CSULB history to advance as far as the national quarter-finals.  This is the ninth straight season that CSULB has advanced to the national sweet-sixteen and the third time it had advanced two teams that far.  All four teams (Sasaki and Zeko, Gabriella Passeri and Diego Magana, Nicole Opendo and Amanda Botelho, and Rael and Heffernan advanced to elimination rounds.  Magana and Heffernan finished 11th and 21st in individual oral advocacy respectively.  Nicole Opendo and Amanda Botelho and Sasaki and Zeko finished 7th and 10th in the nation in written advocacy (respondent).   This is the ninth straight season that CSULB has placed a team in the top ten of the national written brief competition.  

CSULB Mooters at 2019 National Championship: Monserrat Quezeda, Diego Magana, Gabriella Passeri, Anna Sasaki, Amanda Botelho, Nicole Opendo, the Solicitor General of the State of West Virginia Lindsay See, Marissa Rael, Chris Heffernan, Jonah Zeko, and Professor Lewis Ringel.

CSULB National Quarter-Finalists

Marissa Rael and Chris Heffernan.

CSULB’s Jonah Zeko and Anna Sasaki won the 2018 Windy City Regional!!! Zeko, Sasaki, Jireh Deng, and Evelyn Ortiz all won top

orator awards.  Zeko (1st), Sasaki (2nd), Deng (5th), and Ortiz (8th).

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CSULB’s Gabby Passeri and Diego Magana finished 3rd in the 2018 Atchafalaya Classic Regional held at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge!!!  They are photographed below with Moot Court Donor Mrs. Beverly August and at Southern University Law Center with their Atchafalaya Classic mugs.

CSULB’s Nicole Opendo and Amanda Botelho finished 3rd and Marissa Rael and Chris Heffernan finished 5th in the 2018 Western Regional held at Cal-State Fresno!!!

CSULB’s Jonah Zeko and Anna Sasaki finish 2nd in the Rocky Mountain Invitational.  The finals were in the Colorado Supreme Court.

CSULB Mooters place three teams in the semi-finals of the 2018 Falcon Classic held at the United States Air Force Academy!!!  

Fall 2018 Team at Falcon Classic_Colorado Springs

Moot Court on campus at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
From left: Lewis Ringel (coach), Mindy Vo (asst. coach), Spencer Cline, Nicole Opendo, Monserrat Quezada,Evelyn Ortiz, Chris Heffernan, Gabby Passeri, Diego Magana, Amanda Botelho, Marissa Rael, Jonah Zeko, Anna Sasaki, Patrick Dyson (asst. coach), Jirah Deng

 

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Thanks to everyone else who has supported and continues to support our Moot Court program.  A special word of appreciation to the Joseph Ball/Clarence Hunt/Vern Schooley Inn of Court of Long Beach, this includes the late Governor George Deukmejian, and our many supporters in the Long Beach Bar Association who have donated their time to judge and/or recruit justices for our competitions.  Thanks to the Offices of the President and the Provost and the College of Liberal Arts and Shayne of Public Affairs. Thanks to Professor Amy Cabrera Rasmussen and Ty Yim and Julia Castro of the Department of Political Science.  Thanks to those lawyers and jurists who have devoted their time to judging rounds — especially Justices Lamar Baker and Gary Hastings, and Judge John Tobin, and Carmen Longoria Green and Norma Dawson.  Special thanks to alumni who have helped through the years as coaches and judges including Amanda Botelho, Myles Chaney, Jillian Ewan, Chris Heffernan, Yasmin Manners, Ali Piane, Mindy Vo, and Jonah Zeko. those who have supported moot court through financial donations — especially Beverly August and the late George August, Gail Hutton, and Judge Norman Delaterre.