Pepperdine University School of Law of Law Triumphs at CBA Moot Court Competition

The CBA’s Young Lawyers Section again sponsored its Annual Moot Court Competition on November 19-21, 2009, at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago. This year 16 law schools, from Chicago and around the Country sent 26 teams to participate in the Competition.  Dustin May, Amy Poyer and Janelle White, students of Pepperdine University School of Law, were awarded “First Place” in the overall competition. The “Best Brief” award was presented to Colleen DeRosa and Philip Murante of The John Marshall Law School and “Best Oralist” was presented to Benjamin Barlow of Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Barry Brotine of Matushek, Nilles and Sinars, LLC, and R. Andrew Smith of R.A. Smith, Ltd., chaired this year’s Competition. A fictional problem authored by the Co-Chairs asked the compelling question of whether the Defense of Marriage Act obstructs the application of Full Faith and Credit amongst the states and whether these doctrines can work to deny a state’s recognition of same-sex union properly solemnized in a sister state.   Students debated the topic from both sides of the issue, with the final round judges ultimately choosing the petitioner as having the stronger argument. The Hon. James Holderman, Hon. Martin Moltz and the temporarily Hon. Scott Henry served as final round judges.

The YLS would like to thank Barry Kozak for his continued support of the YLS as well as all of the attorneys and judges who generously devoted their time and worked together to make this year’s competition a success.