Moot Court Honors Program

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Students who excel during the Intramural Competition are invited to interview for Southwestern's nationally recognized Moot Court Honors Program. Those selected represent Southwestern in local, regional and national interscholastic competitions as oralists or brief writers in arguing an appeal of a hypothetical legal case—conducting legal research, drafting an appellate court brief and presenting oral arguments.

Southwestern's Moot Court Honors Program is recognized as one of the most active moot court programs in the country, sending teams to various major competitions annually and garnering many top awards in written and oral appellate advocacy.

A board of governors made up of experienced moot court team members coordinates Southwestern's annual Moot Court Intramural Competition and advises program members throughout the year. Professor Alexandra D'Italia serve as the Director of the program.

  1. Moot Court Intramural Competition

    The Moot Court Honors Program's intramural competition is open to all first-year Full-time Day, Full-time Online, Part-time Day, Part-time Online, PLEAS, and SCALE I students who have completed the requirements of the LAWS II course, no matter the focus or “track.” There is no advantage to being enrolled in LAWS II: Appellate Advocacy. 

    The Moot Court intramural competition—both online and residential—consists of preliminary rounds and advanced rounds. Moot Court might change the competition to best accommodate the number of competitors.  

    • Round One (for all competitors)
    • Round Two (for all competitors)
    • Octa Finals: top 16 advocates 
    • Quarter Finals: top 8 advocates
    • Semi Finals: top 4 advocates
    • Finals: top 2 advocates
  2. Current Members

    2025-2026 Board of Governors

    • Mikayla Allaire, Chair
    • Ariana Reynoso , Academic Chair
    • Kristina Ramirez, Judges Chair & Library Chair
    • Madison Dobson, Internal Operations Chair & Library Chair
    • Sharon Hayashida, Preliminary Rounds Chair & Online J.D. Chair
    • Diana Gama Salmeron, Advanced Rounds Chair
    • Nicholas Rodriguez, Scoring Chair 

    2025-2026 Members

    • Natalie Altounian
    • Sheila Arman
    • Cori Bratby-Rudd
    • Ariadna Calva
    • Gabrielle Dayton
    • Phillip Duarte
    • Wessal Esber Fabela
    • Michaela Gretzinger-Craddock
    • Emily Guerra
    • Samantha McAninch
    • Kobe Moreno
    • Gabrielle Zetino

    Senior Fellows

    • Ali Amini 
    • Alicia Govea

    Director

    • Professor Alexandra D'Italia

       

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