Columbia Students Place First in National Native American Law Students Association Moot

New York, March 2, 2009 — Columbia Law School won the National Native American Law Students Association (NNALSA) Moot Court Competition, held this past weekend in Boulder, Colorado. This victory adds to a growing list of moot court triumphs students have landed this season.

Bringing home the gold were David Saunders ’09 and Kerry Carroll ’11, who placed first in the overall competition. Ted Alexander ’11 and Matthew Birkhold ’11 took third place overall and Farhang Heydari ’11 and Scott Thurman ’11 won third best brief.

 

This year's problem addressed a challenge to a public university policy granting tuition waivers to certain American Indian students, on the grounds that the policy violates a state ban on racial preferences in state-funded programs. The challenge also argues that the policy violates the Equal Protection Clause by excluding federally recognized tribal members from its benefits. The full text of the problem is available here.

 

Several other teams of Columbians advanced beyond the elimination rounds: Tanvir Vahora ’11 and Kyle Kolb ’11 made the final eight, and Lauren Gallo ’11 and Jacqueline Palma ’11 made the final 16. Approximately 40 teams total entered the competition.

 

 

Jacqueline Bonneau, Ian Jay, Cassie Zhang, Justin Purtle, EJ Wright, Richard Quay, Ella Aiken, and Josh Mabray, all Class of 2011, rounded out the team roster. Students Katie Fernandez ’09, Anna Fleder ’10, Jessica Bell ’10, Margot Miller ’10, and Makalika Naholowa’a ’10 coached the team.

 

The National Native American Law Students Association Moot Court Competition aims to enhance substantive knowledge in the fields of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law and traditional forms of governance. NNALSA was founded in 1970 to promote study in these fields and to support Native American students in law school. Membership in NNALSA is a requirement to participate in the moot court competition.

 

 

Columbia’s participation in domestic moot court competitions is underwritten through a grant from Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP.

 

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Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, stands at the forefront of legal education and of the law in a global society. Columbia Law School joins traditional strengths in international and comparative law, constitutional law, administrative law, business law and human rights law with pioneering work in the areas of intellectual property, digital technology, sexuality and gender, criminal, and environmental law.

 

Visit us at www.law.columbia.edu.