The Witkin Legal Institute and Thomson Reuters, Legal, Announce Winners of the 2010 Roger J. Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Competition

SAN FRANCISCO, May 10, 2010 – The Witkin Legal Institute and Thomson Reuters, Legal, are pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 Roger J. Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Competition.

The competition is a nationally recognized appellate moot court competition. Under an arrangement with the State Bar of California, the Witkin Legal Institute and West, part of Thomson Reuters, have administered the competition since 1999.

Prizes were awarded in three categories:

Best Oral Argument: The Roger J. Traynor Award:

• First place – Loyola Law School
• Second place – University of California, Davis, School of Law
• Third place – McGeorge School of Law

Best Brief: The California Academy of Appellate Lawyers Award:

• First place – Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Second place – Empire College of Law
• Third place (tie) – University of San Francisco School of Law
• Third place (tie) – Loyola Law School

Excellence in Appellate Advocacy: The Bernard E. Witkin Award:

• First place – Loyola Law School
• Second place – Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Third place – McGeorge School of Law

In addition, the top individual advocates were recognized:

Outstanding Individual Achievement in Oral Argument:

• Benjamin Barlow – Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Rachel Cartier – San Joaquin College of Law
• Cody Drabble – McGeorge School of Law
• Hannah Elisha – Chapman University School of Law
• Andrew Ferguson – University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
• Rachel Gonzalez – San Joaquin College of Law
• Jacqueline Gottlieb – Loyola Law School
• Brett Kinney – University of California, Davis, School of Law
• Charlene Krider – University of California, Davis, School of Law
• Ajay Kusnoor – University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
• Andrea Maestas – Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Philip Norris – Hastings College of the Law
• Jaclyn Smith – University of California, Davis, School of Law
• Alana Srour – Loyola Law School
• Brian Ziska – Loyola Law School

All California schools are invited to participate in this annual competition. This year, 48 students from 18 schools participated. The oral argument portion of the competition was held on April 10-11 at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. The Witkin Legal Institute prepared the problem and administered the competition, which consists of two elements: the written brief and the oral argument.

The California Academy of Appellate Lawyers awarded cash prizes to each student on the team with the best brief, and West also provided discount vouchers to participants to purchase volumes in the Witkin Library. The moot court program is a rare opportunity for law students to interact with appellate court justices at a highly sophisticated level in a real courtroom venue.

The Traynor competition is unusual in several respects. The problem is drawn from a real case in the California Court of Appeal, the appellate court in which the vast majority of California lawyers appear most frequently, and the real record in the case is used. In addition, judges are drawn from experienced appellate lawyers and members of the California Courts of Appeal. Although teams are assigned to brief either appellant or respondent, they are required to argue both sides of the case during successive rounds of oral argument.

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About The Witkin Legal Institute
The Witkin Legal Institute (www.witkin.com) is named for Bernard E. Witkin, California's preeminent legal scholar. It was established by Bancroft-Whitney (now part of West) and the Witkin Estate in 1996 to carry forward the writing of the Witkin treatises in the clear, thorough, and analytical style that is the hallmark of the Witkin Library. The Institute is devoted to continuing Bernard E. Witkin's legacy of public service to the bench, bar and other law-related organizations, and to undertaking projects that serve the ongoing education needs of California lawyers, judges, and law students.

About West
Headquartered in Eagan, Minn., West is the foremost provider of integrated information solutions, software and services to the U.S. legal market. West is a business within Thomson Reuters. For more information, please visit the West Web site at www.west.thomson.com.