Texas Tech School Of Law Wins National Moot Court Competition

The Texas Tech School of Law won the final round of the 61st Annual National Moot Court Competition, held Friday, February 4, at the New York City Bar Association. The winning team included Alexis Butler, Daniel Durell and Jason Jordon. The University Of Tennessee College Of Law was the runner-up team; best oralist went to Alexis Butler of Texas Tech University, with runner up to Amy Rao Mohan of the University of Tennessee College of Law.

The final round was judged by Rolando T. Acosta, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department; Maryanne Trump Barry, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, New York State Court of Appeals; Debra Ann Livingston, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; Sandra L. Lynch, chief judge, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; Gregory P. Joseph, president, American College of Trial Lawyers; and Samuel W. Seymour, president, New York City Bar Association.

This year the competition presented two issues not yet decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The first issue relates to the standard of review courts should apply when deciding a motion for a preliminary injunction where it is not certain that the moving party is more likely than not to prevail in the underlying matter. The second issue relates to whether a specific municipal health care ordinance is preempted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

The final argument of the competition is the culmination of more than six months of preparation and arguments by more than 179 teams from over 124 law schools competing at the regional and national levels in every geographical area of the country. Twenty-eight teams from fourteen regions competed at the City Bar for four days of competition leading up to the final round.

The competition is co-sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers (a national organization composed of approximately 5,700 of the leading advocates in the United States) and the City Bar's Young Lawyers Committee.