Brooklyn Law School Wins National Ethics Competition
March 23, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 23, 2007 – Sacramento, CA
Contact:
Mike Curran
University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
3200 Fifth Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95817
916-739-7115
Brooklyn Law School took first prize against a strong national field in the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law’s 2 nd Annual National Ethics Trial Competition, held March 15-17 at the Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento.
The prestigious tournament, sponsored by Dreyer, Babich, Buccola & Callaham, LLP, brought together teams from 16 law schools across the country renowned for their trial advocacy program excellence.
Led by Jannine Rowser, who captured top advocate honors, Brooklyn defeated Southwestern Law School in the finals after those two teams had slipped by Baylor and the host Pacific McGeorge team in the semifinals. The University of Houston was cited as Most Professional Team and one of its members, Andrew Woellner, shared preliminary-round top-advocate laurels with Rowser.
Other teams in the competition included the University of Alabama, defending champion SUNY at Buffalo, University of Connecticut, Georgetown University, the John Marshall Law School, University of Maryland, Roger Williams University, St. John’s University, St. Mary’s University ( Texas), South Texas College of Law and Stetson University. Students were judged on their professional conduct and knowledge of professional responsibility as well as their advocacy skills. Students performed opening statements, direct and cross examination of expert and lay witnesses, and closing arguments, as well as argued objections based on the Federal Rules of Evidence.
Lindsey Hulse 2D, Sophia Kwan 2D, Jeff Schaff 2E and Bret Wasley 2D represented Pacific McGeorge in the competition with their coaches, Jamie Pearson,’02, and Matt Pearson, ’03.
The 85 volunteer judges for the competition included many distinguished members of the local bar and judiciary. There were five U.S. District Court judges, 15 California Superior Court judges from Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, and Yolo counties, and the presiding justice of the California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District. Other volunteer judges included the Sacramento County and Yolo County public defenders; U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of California; Sacramento County District Attorney; the chief of the Sacramento Criminal Defense Conflict Panel; the chief assistant, Criminal Division, California Attorney General’s Office; a former Assistant Secretary of the Interior; the Sacramento County DA’s Office Prosecutor of the Year; and a JAG Corps judge.
The Sacramento law firm of Dreyer, Babich, Buccola & Callaham, LLP, one of California’s leading plaintiffs law firms, was the primary underwriter of the event. Co-sponsors included the ABA Section of Litigation and the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court, which is based at Pacific McGeorge.
Professor Jay Leach, the director of the Advocacy Certificate Program at Pacific McGeorge, led the organizers of the competition.
