Columbia Team Wins National Competition
Columbia Team Wins National Competition
Earns Other Honors During Highly Competitive Academic Season
Media Contact: Nancy Goldfarb, 1-212-854-1584 [email protected]
Public Affairs: 212-854-2650
New York, April 5, 2010—The 2009-2010 Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition (FDMCC) team at Columbia Law School capped off a successful season with a win at the national championship. A complete list of competition results is below.
The National Competition was held in Boston, MA March 11-13, featuring the top three teams from each of the six regions of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), the organization which created and operates FDMCC. Columbia's top three teams from the regional competition brought home the championship trophy, a semifinalist berth, and finally, the Best Petitioner’s Brief and Best Respondent’s Brief awards. Mohit Gourisaria’12 and Janine Morna’12 were the national champions and also received the award for best Respondent's brief. David Stoopler’12 and David Sneed’12 were semifinalists and received the award for best Petitioner's brief.
The Northeast Regional Competition took place in Syracuse, New York January 28-30. Having sent nine two-person teams to join a field of thirty-two teams from law schools across the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, Columbia set itself apart by capturing the top eight positions. In addition, Columbia student Jade Craig’12 won the Best Oral Advocate award, distinguishing himself for his stellar performance among the 64 competitors.
The Columbia students are all in the first year of law school, and faced more experienced competitiors with previous moot court and substantive class experience.
The team was sponsored by Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, the Columbia chapter of the Black Law Students Association, and Columbia Law School. They were coached by Stephen MacArthur’11 and Natalie Miller’11. The Editors were Juan Carlos Ibarra’11, Marti Morgan’11, and Kathy Vermazen’11. The Frederick Douglass section of the Legal Practice Workshop was taught by Hon. Gerald Lebovits.
National results:
Champion:
Mohit Gourisaria and Janine Morna
Semifinalist:
David Stoopler and David Sneed
Competitor:
Malaika Staten and Vanessa Jackson
Best Petitioner's Brief:
David Stoopler and David Sneed
Best Respondent's Brief:
Mohit Gourisaria and Janine Morna
Regional results:
Champion:
Janine Morna and Mohit Gourisaria
First runner-up:
David Sneed and David Stoopler
Second runner-up:
Vanessa Jackson and Malaika Staten
Semifinalists:
Shayda Vance and Paul Smith
Quarterfinalists:
Erica Selig and Jade Craig
David Goldin and Farayi Mafoti
Adya Baker and Aisha Davis
Ashley Fry and Catherine Wigglesworth
Competitors:
Jennifer Green and Cherice Landers
Best Oral Advocate:
Jade Craig
The National Competition was held in Boston, MA March 11-13, featuring the top three teams from each of the six regions of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), the organization which created and operates FDMCC. Columbia's top three teams from the regional competition brought home the championship trophy, a semifinalist berth, and finally, the Best Petitioner’s Brief and Best Respondent’s Brief awards. Mohit Gourisaria’12 and Janine Morna’12 were the national champions and also received the award for best Respondent's brief. David Stoopler’12 and David Sneed’12 were semifinalists and received the award for best Petitioner's brief.
The Northeast Regional Competition took place in Syracuse, New York January 28-30. Having sent nine two-person teams to join a field of thirty-two teams from law schools across the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, Columbia set itself apart by capturing the top eight positions. In addition, Columbia student Jade Craig’12 won the Best Oral Advocate award, distinguishing himself for his stellar performance among the 64 competitors.
The Columbia students are all in the first year of law school, and faced more experienced competitiors with previous moot court and substantive class experience.
The team was sponsored by Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, the Columbia chapter of the Black Law Students Association, and Columbia Law School. They were coached by Stephen MacArthur’11 and Natalie Miller’11. The Editors were Juan Carlos Ibarra’11, Marti Morgan’11, and Kathy Vermazen’11. The Frederick Douglass section of the Legal Practice Workshop was taught by Hon. Gerald Lebovits.
National results:
Champion:
Mohit Gourisaria and Janine Morna
Semifinalist:
David Stoopler and David Sneed
Competitor:
Malaika Staten and Vanessa Jackson
Best Petitioner's Brief:
David Stoopler and David Sneed
Best Respondent's Brief:
Mohit Gourisaria and Janine Morna
Regional results:
Champion:
Janine Morna and Mohit Gourisaria
First runner-up:
David Sneed and David Stoopler
Second runner-up:
Vanessa Jackson and Malaika Staten
Semifinalists:
Shayda Vance and Paul Smith
Quarterfinalists:
Erica Selig and Jade Craig
David Goldin and Farayi Mafoti
Adya Baker and Aisha Davis
Ashley Fry and Catherine Wigglesworth
Competitors:
Jennifer Green and Cherice Landers
Best Oral Advocate:
Jade Craig