Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 22, 2002--The University of Nebraska College of Law won the Regional Rounds of the 53rd Annual National Moot Court Competition Nov. 15 at Kansas City, Mo.
The Nebraska team of Matthew Graff of Holstein, Iowa, Thomas Kelley of Omaha and Monica Smith of Idaho Falls, Idaho, defeated the University of Missouri-Kansas City in the final round to win the regional competition. The team also received the award for best brief in the competition.
By winning the Regional Rounds, Graff, Kelley and Smith earned the right to compete in the National Rounds, which will be held in New York City in late January. Of the 190 teams from 131 law schools that entered the competition, only 28 teams--the first- and second-place teams from each of 14 regions--advanced to the National Rounds. This marks the 10th time in the last 15 years that Nebraska has advanced.
A second Nebraska team of Kyle Long of Omaha, Danielle Nantkes of Seward and Shawn Petri of Lincoln won one of its two preliminary rounds by defeating the University of Kansas, but did not advance to the elimination rounds.
Sixteen teams representing nine law schools from the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska participated. The schools participating were Creighton, St. Louis, Arkansas-Fayetteville, Arkansas-Little Rock, Kansas, Missouri-Columbia, Missouri-Kansas City, Nebraska and Washburn.
Judge Pasco M. Bowman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit was the presiding judge of the three-judge panel that heard the final round.
CONTACT: John Lenich, Professor, Law, (402) 472-9971 (jlenich2@unl.edu);
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