Through Dispute Resolution Team (DRT), Moot Court Association (MCA) and Trial Competition Team (TCT), NYLS students collaborate with classmates and faculty advisors to strengthen appellate advocacy, brief-writing, and other essential lawyering skills while representing NYLS in local and national competitions. In recent weeks, NYLS teams have demonstrated their excellence and earned accolades across multiple competitions. Take a look at a few of the recent competition successes achieved by these teams.
Dispute Resolution Team
Second Place at the American Bar Association Client Representation in Mediation Competition
Sam Walsh ’27 and Sarah Lara ’27, along with student coaches Jacqueline Zamora ’26 and Jerin Jabin ’26, placed second in the nation at the American Bar Association (ABA) Client Representation in Mediation National Competition hosted by Chapman University Fowler School of Law in California.
Moot Court Association
Semi-Finalists at the Federal Bar Association Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition
MCA members John Anthony West ’26 and Michael Gaschler ’27 gave an outstanding performance at the Federal Bar Association Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C. The team, along with their student coach, Brendan Reidlinger ’26, advanced to the semi-finals. NYLS Adjunct Professor Addison O’Donnell served as Senior Fellow for the team.
Best Respondent Brief and Best Overall Brief at Kaufman Securities Law Competition
At Fordham University School of Law’s Kaufman Securities Law Competition, MCA members David Flick ’27 and Samuel Lapine ’27, along with their student coach, Brianna Cirillo ’26, won both Best Respondent Brief and Best Overall Brief of the entire competition. This was the fourth brief-writing award that the MCA has won during the spring semester after the MCA launched an inaugural brief-writing training program in the fall. The team’s high scores qualified them for the quarterfinals. NYLS alum Andrei Moraru ’24 served as the Senior Fellow for the team.
Quarterfinalists at the Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Competition
At Brooklyn Law School’s Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Competition, MCA members Victoria Glenn ’26 and Anna Greenberg ’26, along with their student coach, Marissa Andreone ’26, advanced to the quarterfinals. NYLS alum Lester Helfman ’77 served as the Senior Fellow for the team.
Quarterfinalists at the Gender and Sexuality Moot Court Competition
At the Gender and Sexuality Moot Court Competition, hosted by Michigan State College of Law via Zoom, MCA members Karen Munir ’27 and Madeline Lam ’27,along with their student coach, Owen Minott ’26, advanced to the quarterfinals and ranked 4th in the preliminary round. NYLS Adjunct Professor Reeves Carter served as the team’s Senior Fellow.
Octofinalists and Best Respondent Brief at the John J. Gibbons Moot Court Competition
At the Seton Hall University Law School’s John J. Gibbons Moot Court Competition, MCA members Esha Shah ’27, Michael Hannigan ’27, and Daniel Fried ’27, along with their student coach, Martina DelPriore ’26, advanced to the octofinals and won the Best Respondent Brief Award. NYLS Distinguished Adjunct Professor Heather E. Cucolo ’03 served as the team’s Senior Fellow.
Trial Competition Team
Semi-Finalists in the ABA Labor and Employment Law Regional Student Mock Trial Competition
Two TCT teams earned the distinction of semi-finalists in the ABA Labor and Employment Law Regional Student Mock Trial Competitionheld in Brooklyn. Nicolai Bell ’26, Kierin Geed ’26, Anshu Khadka ’26, and Vasiliki Lazaridis ’26, coached by NYLS Adjunct Professor William Neri ’11, and Anton Freeman ’26, Ashley Goldstein ’26, Sanskriti Maheshwari ’26, and Ariel Oeffinger ’26, coached by former NYLS TCT President Michael Gioia ’17, gave impressive performances as they conducted five full-length trials for the competition.
Co-Hosting a Prestigious Interscholastic Trial Competition
The Trial Competition Team began the spring semester by making their debut as a co-host of a major interscholastic trial competition. Along with Brooklyn Law School, the team co-hosted a regional competition component of the National Trial Competition, which is co-sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and administered by the Texas Young Lawyers Association. Congratulations toTCT Competition Chair Eva Miller ’26 and to the other TCT members who assisted at the competition—including Catherine Anderson ’27, Juan Castellanos ’27, Richa Chandra ’26, Cally Connelly ’27 Evening, Nerlyne Dossous ’26, Kierin Geed ’26, Zhanna Green ’26, Angel Hidri ’27, John Hrbac ’27, Muskaan Kashyap ’27, Luey Liu ’27, Amro Mashael ’27, Miriam Mahmoud ’26, Oscar Moncada ’26, Gabriella Rodriguez ’27, Esha Shah ’27, Aine Sismondo ’27, Derek Soto ’27, and Sara Tsugranis ’27—for their hard work, diligence, and professionalism in ensuring the success of the competition. Congratulations also to TCT members John Fanizzi ’26 and Ariel Oeffinger ’26, who represented NYLS as attorneys at the regional competition, as well as student coaches Oscar Moncada ’26, Avi Orlow ’26, Esha Shah ’27, and Clayton Shaw ’27 Evening and NYLS alum coach Michael Cirigliano ’11.
Best Direct Examination Award and Accolades at Queens District Attorney’s Mock Trial Competition
TCT members Catie Brumit ’28 Evening, Rob Milman ’27, Aine Sismondo ’27, and Alexandra Voorhis ’27 gave an impressive performance conducting three full-length trials at the Queens District Attorney’s Mock Trial Competition in Queens Criminal Court. Catie Brumit ’28 Evening also won the Best Direct Examination Award at the competition. Michael Gioia ’17 served as the attorney coach.
Excelling at American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition
At the American Association for Justice Student (AAJS) Trial Advocacy Competition held in New York City Criminal Court, TCT members Bevan Huang ’26, Anum Khan ’26, Richa Chandra ’26, and Matthew Nemeh ’26 did an outstanding job conducting three full-length trials, demonstrating their excellent courtroom advocacy skills and earning high praise from the evaluators. Daniel Voronin ’22, a former TCT president, served as the attorney coach.
Congratulations to all competitors and coaches on these victories! And special thanks to the professors, alumni, and community members who volunteered their time to help the teams prepare for competitions.