FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN DIEGO, March 8, 2007 – California Western’s revamped mock trial program has led to three National Regional trial tournament wins in the past three weeks. California Western teams finished first in the Texas Young Lawyers Association Regional Competition, the Jessup International Law Pacific Regional, and the American Association for Justice Competition.

“All the work our students, coaches, and professors have put into our trial teams is paying off in a big way,” said California Western Dean Steven R. Smith. “I am so proud that California Western will be represented in the finals of such prestigious national competitions, and I wish all our teams luck.”

Professor Mario Conte, former executive director of the Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., took on the role of the Moot Court Honors Board faculty advisor in 2005, shortly after coming to California Western. He has recruited new coaches, and worked to raise funds for the teams.

This year the Moot Court Honors Board is led by its executive director, Gen Suzuki, and trial team coordinator, Cody Mounteer – both third year students at California Western – who are in charge of coordinating all the school’s trial teams.

Texas Young Lawyers Association Regional Competition   

Two California Western trial teams were very successful at the Texas Young Lawyers Association Regional Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 14, both advancing to the semi-final round.  The teams were Shannon Kitten and Mike Romney and David Silldorf and Molly Hale.  Kitten and Romney then went to the final round and won first place for the whole regional competition.  They will now go on to Houston for the national finals March 29-31. 

Jessup International Law Moot Court Pacific Regional

California Western’s Jessup International Law Moot Court Team won the Pacific Regional Competition at UCLA, Feb. 17.  The team beat Arizona in the semi-final round and top-ranked Loyola in the final round.  “California Western has developed a reputation at the Jessup Regional Competitions as a team to watch and a team other schools expect to see at the top when the competition ends,” said Professor Roberta Thyfault, who coaches the Jessup team along with Professor William Aceves.  

The Jessup team members are 3L Amy Cordova, and 2Ls Emily Bartholomew, Laurie Hauf, Christina Rovira, and Matt Tucker.  The team’s written memorials (briefs) placed third in the competition and individual oralist awards were given to Hauf (4^th place) and Bartholomew (honorable mention).  The team now will be traveling to Washington, D.C., for the international rounds of the Jessup Competition March 25-31, where they will compete against law students from around the world. 

American Association for Justice Competition

Both of California Western’s teams made the final round of the American Association for Justice Competition, March 3.  The team of Megan Meacham, David Skilling, Ingrid Patin, and Solomon Chang won it all.  They were coached by Marion Gaston (graduate assistant Distinguished Advocate) and Paul Parisi ’06 (graduate assistant Distinguished Advocate).  The other team was Kristin Buie, Lorenda Stern, Rosie Montoto, and Jessica Morrissey.  They were coached by Bob Semnar and Amir Alavi ’06 (graduate assistant Distinguished Advocate). They will be going to the finals in New Orleans March 29^th. 

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California Western School of Law is the independent, ABA/AALS-accredited San Diego law school that advances multi-dimensional lawyering by educating lawyers-to-be as creative problem solvers and principled advocates who frame the practice of law as a helping, collaborative profession.  California Western is home to several innovative centers and institutes including the California Innocence Project, the Center for Creative Problem Solving, the Institute of Health Law Studies, and the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy.  In addition to a J.D. program, the law school offers several dual degree programs in conjunction with local universities; an LL.M. in Federal Criminal Law; and an M.C.L./LL.M. for foreign law graduates.                                                                                               

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                           (619) 515-1545