Second-year law students Ashley Briscoe and Kari Golematis were the winners of the 39th Annual Lenny B. Mandell Moot Court Competition. This year’s virtual competition kicked off with the preliminary rounds on March 20 and ended with the final round on Thursday, March 25.
“This competition is really one of the most important experiences in their development as young lawyers,” said Professor Sandra Kupelian who is also the Moot Court faculty advisor. “I am extremely grateful for Chief Justice Stephanie Saghafi (3L) and the entire Moot Court Society Board for pushing through and putting together an incredible virtual competition.”
The final round of the arguments was presided over by Justice Thomas L. Kilbride (Ret.), Illinois Supreme Court; Justice Mary Seminara-Schostock, Second District Appellate Court; and the competition’s founder, Professor Emeritus Leonard B. Mandell.
During his 30+ years of service at the NIU College of Law, Professor Emeritus Mandell served as Associate Dean of Student Services, Director of the Criminal Law and Appellate Defender Externship Programs, Advisor to the Student Bar Association, Faculty Advisor of the Moot Court Society, and Founder and Coordinator of the Prize Moot Court Competition since its inception in 1982. The competition was renamed in his honor following his retirement in 2013.
“When I founded this competition in 1982, my goals were for education, some entertainment, some enlightenment, and most importantly some enjoyment – although I know writing the brief is a lot of hard work. I certainly am thrilled and hope that the competition continues,” said Professor Emeritus Mandell.
The Moot Court Society would like to give a special thanks to all of the faculty, alumni, and friends of the law school that served as judges in the preliminary and semi-final rounds. Judges for the semi-final round included The Honorable Lisa Fabiano, 17th Judicial Circuit; The Honorable Joseph McGraw, 17th Judicial Circuit; The Honorable Steve Krentz, 23rd Judicial Circuit; and Jerrod Williams (‘02), Law Clerk to the Honorable P. Scott Neville, Illinois Supreme e Court.
The Moot Court Society organizes and runs the competition to further the advancement of appellate advocacy. The Mandell Moot Court Competition is open to second-year students and gives them an opportunity to draft briefs and argue cases in a simulated appellate court before panels of moot court judges.
2021 Winners:
Moot Court Champions
Ashley Briscoe & Kari Golematis
Moot Court Finalists
Nicholas Gab & Melissa Piwowar
Best Brief – Petitioner
Austin Kelley & G. Connor Wills
Best Brief – Respondent
Ashley Briscoe & Kari Golematis
Best Oralist – Preliminary Rounds
Michael Hettig
Best Oralist – Preliminary Rounds, Runner Up
Melissa Piswowar
Best Oralist – Semi-Final Round
Ashley Briscoe
Best Oralist – Final Round
Melissa Piswowar
