Georgetown wins 2013 Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship

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Jan 29, 2013, 12:52 ET

University of Houston Law Center hosts advocacy competition

HOUSTON, Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Georgetown University Law Center moot court team emerged victorious over 15 other competitors in the annual tournament hosted by the University of Houston Law Center. The 2013 Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship was held Jan. 24-26.

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"We are delighted with the success of Georgetown team members Jeff Golimowski and Emily Chambers," said Georgetown University Law Center Dean William M. Treanor. "At a time when law schools are increasingly focused on promoting learning through hands-on experience, the value of moot courts is more obvious than ever before, and we are deeply proud of Jeff's and Emily's success in this great competition."

Sixteen advocacy programs earned their way to the championship competition by achieving outstanding results in major moot court tournaments in the previous academic year. Previous winners of the championship include the South Texas College of Law, Mississippi College School of Law and John Marshall Law School.

"The tournament combines issue analysis, writing skills and advocacy skills," said Jim Lawrence, director of the Blakely Advocacy Institute at UH Law Center. "All these things are beneficial to people who want to practice law. I also have to commend the caliber of teams that competed. Each year, the law schools send their best, and this year was no exception."

This year's problem involved the new gray market in the life insurance industry, the Stranger Owned Life Insurance (STOLI) market. STOLI participants seek life insurance as a purpose of investment, rising and falling on the life expectancies of strangers. The tournament was held at the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in downtown Houston with federal and state judges, and members of the local bar hearing arguments.

The final round was judged by Judge James E. Graves of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Scott Brister, formerly of the Texas Supreme Court, and Senior Judge C. Arlen Beam of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The runner-up in the championship round was Stetson University College of Law. Semi-finalists were SMU Dedman School of Law and George Washington University Law School. In addition, the "Best Brief" trophy went to Stetson University College of Law. The "Best Speaker" award went to Kyle Singhal of George Washington University Law School.

The championship team has been invited to present their arguments at the Life Insurance Settlement Association's 19^th Annual Spring Conference in Las Vegas in May.

Andrews Kurth sponsored the tournament. Judicial sponsors included Edison McDowell & Hetherington, and the Blakely Advocacy Institute at the University of Houston Law Center. Steven Knight, on behalf of Chamberlain Hrdlicka, was an advocate sponsor. In addition, a symposium was held in conjunction with the competition. Symposium sponsors included Orrick Harington & Sutcliff, Susman Godfrey, Drinker Biddle & Reath, and Coventry.

For more information, contact Carrie Criado, UH Law Center Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, 713-743-2184, [email protected]; or John T. Kling, UH Law Center Communications Manager, 713- 743-8298, [email protected].

About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.

About the University of Houston Law Center
The University of Houston Law Center is the leading law school in the nation's fifth-largest legal market. Founded in 1947, it is a top-tier institution awarding Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees. The Law Center is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the American Association of Law Schools.

SOURCE University of Houston Law Center