The University of Miami School of Law has celebrated an impressive streak of success with its moot court teams in recent competitions, showcasing the talent and dedication of its students. Partaking in moot court competitions develops students' advocacy and litigation skills through practice.
The Charles C. Papy, Jr. Moot Court team of second-year law students Kathleen Black and Tori Vasquez finished as quarterfinalists at the Wagner National Labor and Employment Law competition in New York, with Black winning the Best Respondent Oral Advocate award. For 49 years, this prestigious event has seen participation from many law schools, with 40 teams competing this year.
“I was so surprised and grateful,” said Black about finding out she was named Best Respondent Oral Advocate. “The Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Competition was my first competition since joining the Charles Papy Moot Court board, and with 40 teams and 80 competitors arguing respondent, I knew the competition would be tough. Winning was an honor.”
Under the expert guidance of Professor of Legal Writing Annette Torres and Judge Edwin Torres, the team fine-tuned their arguments and prepared for challenging questions.
“Once we submitted our competition brief, my partner, Tori, and I worked closely with our coaches,” said Black. “Since my issue was novel (involving the Federal Trade Commission’s Noncompete Rule), my coaches and I spent countless hours researching the argument’s many complex tentacles and crafting a structured oral argument.”
The team’s preparation included multiple practice rounds judged by legal professionals, including a session before Edwin Torres, Judge Adalberto Jordan, J.D. ’87, and moot court alumnus Matthew Shalna, J.D. ’23, held at the 11th Circuit courthouse.
Environmental and Immigration Law Competitions in New York
In another impressive showing, third-year law students Clara Tome and Justin Alexander finished as quarterfinalists and won the Best Brief Runner-Up Award at the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court competition. This year’s competition featured 48 teams and around 350 law students and attorney judges.
“It felt amazing to win the Best Brief Runner-Up Award because it recognized our efforts to research, draft, and meticulously proofread and edit our brief,” said Alexander.
Coached by professors Jessica Owley and Doug Ruley, and Christian Maroni, J.D. ’21, the duo honed their oral arguments through weeks of collaboration and practice rounds.
The team of 3L Emily Gafcovich and 2L Sharon Shenderovskiy won the Best Brief Award out of 28 teams at the NYU Immigration Moot Court competition, finishing as octofinalists. This competition delves into contemporary immigration issues, judged by panels of distinguished NYU alumni and legal practitioners.
“Winning the Best Brief award was an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Gafcovich. “Sharon and I put in a lot of time and effort to craft a strong, persuasive argument, and it was amazing to see that hard work recognized.”
Two Miami Law alumni—Elizabeth Montano, J.D. ’19, and Benjamin Brooks, J.D. ’23,—coached the team and offered invaluable feedback throughout their preparation.
“Sharon and I spent countless hours researching, drafting, and revising our brief to ensure it was both compelling and well-structured,” said Gafcovich. “Once the brief was submitted, we shifted our focus to oral advocacy, working closely with our amazing coaches, who helped us refine our skills and gain the confidence to succeed in the competition.”
Business Law Experience Via Bankruptcy Moot Competition
The Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court competition team of Grace Castillo, 3L, David Khazen, 3L, and Gabriela Socarras, 2L, won the 14th annual Cristol Kahn Paskay Cup hosted by Miami Law, with Socarras earning the Best Oral Advocate Award.
“Our team's victory and my recognition felt well-deserved,” said Socarras. “My coaches and mentors played an instrumental role in shaping me into the advocate I presented that weekend. I am deeply grateful for their guidance and thrilled to have been able to express my gratitude through this recognition. Being named Best Oral Advocate is an honor that reflects the excellence of the Miami legal community and their dedication to nurturing the next generation of lawyers into future leaders.”
The final round was judged by the Honorable Mary Grace Diehl of the Northern District of Georgia, the Honorable Maria Ellena Chavez-Ruark from the District of Maryland, the Honorable Scott M. Grossman, the Honorable Laurel M. Isicoff, the Honorable Robert A. Mark, and the Honorable Mindi A. Mora from the Southern District of Florida.
Second-year law students Natalie Askowitz and John Frey finished as quarterfinalists at the National Appellate Advocacy competition in Boston, earning the award for third Best Brief out of 33 schools. Askowitz was also recognized as the fourth Best Oral Advocate out of 84 students. This competition emphasizes realistic appellate advocacy skills, simulating appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I am incredibly grateful for my experience,” said Socarras about participating with the Papy Moot Court. “I am impressed by the dedication of everyone involved in these competitions and their commitment to representing the University of Miami. The support from practitioners, as well as the strong sense of community at the school—whether on Instagram, WhatsApp, or in person—has been truly inspiring.”
Read more about Miami Law’s moot court organizations.
