Regent’s School of Law Teams Make Waves in Start of Moot Court Competitions

The game is strong for Regent University’s School of Law (LAW) 2016 Moot Court competition teams.

Each January, the top 16 Moot Court programs in the United States are invited to participate in the annual Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship at the University of Houston. Regent was selected to participate after being ranked 8th in the nation by the University of Houston Law Center at the conclusion of the 2015 competition season.

 

During the competition January 28-29, students Renee Knudsen, Palmer Horst, and Marie Dienhart defended their way to second-place in the nation, just behind Georgetown as they competed with teams from schools such as Southern Methodist University, New York University and Texas Tech University. The Regent team also took home the award for best brief.

The team was coached by LAW dean, Michael Hernandez.

“The success of our teams is a testimony to the purpose and quality of a Regent Law education. Moot court competitions test the primary essential skills of lawyering—analytical ability, legal research, persuasive writing and speaking, teamwork, and advocating for a client under pressure,” said Hernandez. “These achievements reflect that the quality of the skills training and legal education provided by Regent Law stands out in the U.S. and around the world.”

Continuing the streak, Christy Hurst, Palmer Hurst and Sandra Alcaide won first place at Regional Rounds in the Americas of the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition in New York City this past weekend.

The team, coached by LAW professor Jeffrey Brauch, won the best brief, and Alcaide earned the marks for best oral advocate. This is the second year in a row that a team from Regent has swept the competition.

“Advancing to the international rounds is a tremendous honor. We know we’ll be up against the best in the world, which is an exciting opportunity, but still a daunting challenge,” said C. Hurst. “Looking back at all of our hard work, it is satisfying to know that it was well worth all of the time spent! It is also a testament to God’s blessing of our preparation that we are able to continue to Oxford. I saw His hand at every step of the way as he walked us through the rounds this week! From giving our team the side we wanted to argue in each round to removing potential obstacles, we were tremendously blessed.”

They will advance to the international championship rounds of the competition at Oxford University March 30-April 2nd, the same competition where Regent’s team placed second in the world in 2013.

Additionally, the team did a home-turf victory lap on Monday, February 1, making an appearance on the Christian Broadcasting Network’s 700 Club. Watch the interview here.

“I was very proud watching the Regent team compete this weekend. Palmer Hurst and Sandra Alcaide competed at a very high level and grew stronger by the round. Their diligent preparation combined with their natural giftedness made them a powerful team. I was also proud of the work the entire team – Sandra, Palmer, and Christy Hurst – did on the memorials (written arguments),” said Brauch. “To win the Best Memorial for the entire Western Hemisphere is a tremendous accomplishment. We praise God for his grace! And we are excited to compete for the world championship in Oxford next month.”

Learn more about Regent University’s School of Law.