Written by: WSCL Marketing Team & Professor Lori Roberts
At Western State, experiential learning is a core part of the 1L experience, with practical skills built directly into the curriculum. Every 1L student participates in the Everett Dorey LLP – 1L Moot Court Competition. This gives all students the opportunity to develop real advocacy skills early.
Final Round and Distinguished Judges
On April 28th, the top-8 finalists from the preliminary rounds presented their arguments before a panel of three judges: the Hon. Jamoa A. Moberly (Ret.), Vanessa Vinje, partner at Everett Dorey LLP, and Erick Murillo, the Honors Moot Court Team president.
After the final round, students and faculty gathered for a luncheon and awards ceremony, sponsored by Everett Dorey LLP. Dean Marisa Cianciarulo and Westcliff University President Dr. Anthony Lee were in attendance to celebrate the students’ achievements.
Recognizing This Year’s Top Advocates
Everett Dorey’s support plays an important role in making these opportunities possible, and its connection to Western State runs deep. This year’s Top Overall honors went to Abbas Chahine, whose advocacy stood out throughout the competition. He received a $500 award from Everett Dorey, LLP for his outstanding advocacy.
All eight finalists were recognized by the Legal Writing & Research faculty with certificates marking the hard work it took to get there, and Mark McCabe and Yelena Akopyan were recognized as “runners-up” in the competition, each bringing strong, compelling arguments to the final round.
A special thank-you to incoming Honors Moot Court Team president, Macyn Sherman, who kept everything running smoothly as the timekeeper.
Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists. The advocacy on display is a clear indication of the talent and potential shaping the next generation of attorneys.
Want to see more? View the full photo album here.
