April 6, 2009
Faulkner Takes Second in Nation’s Largest Law Student Advocacy Competition
(CHICAGO) Three law students representing Faulkner University Thomas Goode Jones School of Law finished second out of 187 teams in the 34th annual National Appellate Advocacy Competition, sponsored by the American Bar Association. Third-year law student Katie Langer from Montgomery, Alabama, and second-year law students Clayton Tartt from Livingston, Alabama, and Ashley Penhale from Alabaster, Alabama, defeated teams from St. Mary’s, Texas Tech and Seton Hall in the national elimination rounds to advance to the national championship on Saturday, April 4, 2009. The national championship round was held at the Chicago courtroom of the Illinois Supreme Court with Illinois Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald presiding. South Texas defeated Faulkner in the final round, but the second place finish is Faulkner’s best result in just three years of eligibility as an American Bar Association-approved law school.
Besides the team successes there were also individual honors. Katie Langer was named the 5th best advocate and Clayton Tartt was named the 8th best advocate.
“Advocacy competitions, especially moot court competitions, are really honors programs,” according to Professor Joe Lester, Advocacy Director at the law school. “We are comparing our best students with the best students at other law schools.”
This competition began with 187 teams from 111 law schools who competed at six regional sites. The top four teams from each region advanced to the national finals competition in Chicago. Other regional champions include: Duke, Chicago-Kent, University of Texas, University of Florida, University of Oklahoma, Temple, American University, Loyola-Chicago, Washington University, and Michigan State. Faulkner advanced to the national competition in 2007, finishing as one of the top eight teams in the nation.
“The success of our ABA National Appellate Advocacy team demonstrates that our school has rapidly risen to a place of prominence among law schools in this country,” said Charles Nelson, Dean of Faulkner University’s Jones School of Law. “It demonstrates that we are making our mark in legal education and that mark is based on proven success.”
This year’s competition problem involved a war powers dispute between Congress and the President. The team members were required to write a brief on one side of the issue and to argue before a panel of judges as if they were in front of the United States Supreme Court.
“Our law students continue to demonstrate that they can compete at the highest levels,” said Professor John Garman, who teaches constitutional law at the law school and coached the team. “It is an honor to work with such hard-working and dedicated students.”
Professor Lester noted that “our faculty’s commitment to our students drives our success. A majority of our full-time faculty helped in getting this team ready for competition by participating in the practice rounds. You just won’t see that level of institutional commitment at other law schools.”
For more information regarding Faulkner’s advocacy programs please contact Professor Joe Lester, Advocacy Director and Professor of Law, at 334-386-7542.