A University of St. Thomas law school moot court team was recognized with the third best brief among 18 teams at the regional Jessup International Moot Court Competition in Denver in February.
Law students Andrew Peterson ’18, Paul Enger ’18, Warsame Galaydh ’19 and Jacob Behmer ’19 were recognized for their work. They were coached by St. Thomas law school alumni Dave Carrier ‘12, associate attorney at Bowman and Brooke, LLP; Aaron Knoll ‘12, attorney at Greene Espel, PLLP; John Pavelko ‘16, associate attorney at Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.; and Molly Sigler ‘17, judicial law clerk at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
“It was a complete team effort with everyone contributing in a meaningful way. Andrew and Paul’s guidance helped immensely with the brief writing,” Galaydh said. “I have an international relations background from undergrad, grad school and work, and I believe Jessup will significantly improve my chances of landing a position in the international policy arena if I decide to re-enter the field.”
The Jessup International Moot Court Competition is the largest moot court competition in the world, and the oldest international law moot court competition. Student-competitors write two memorials, representing both sides of an issue of international law, and prepare a 45-minute oral argument. Law students from 100 countries have participated in the competition this year.
The team from St. Thomas competed against Yale University in the semi-final round. Yale went on to finish first in the regional competition and advanced to the international round.
Student participation in competitions like the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, is facilitated by the Board of Advocates, a student organization that in 2017-18 enabled 32 students to compete in national competitions in Moot Court, Negotiations and Trial Advocacy. The success of this year’s Jessup team is a testament to the strength of the school’s oral advocacy programs and the ongoing support of its alumni.
