The judges

Advocacy Center Sponsors 1-L Advocacy Competition -- Federal Judges calls competition “well run and most enjoyable”

An email sent by one of the judges for the UT College of Law's First-Year Advocacy Competition summed it up: “Of all my out-of-court judging endeavors, this one was my favorite.” The judge’s sentiments were shared by the other eight judges who judged the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution’s First-Year Advocacy Competition.

The competition involved 21 first-year students coached by a like number of third-year students. The first-year advocates prepared and delivered opening statements based upon a hypothetical case handed out to them the evening of the competition. After discussing the case with their third-year coaches, the advocates delivered their openings before three-judge panels. The first-year advocates included Melissa Carrasco, Jamie Carter, Chris Collins, Sally Goade, Shannon Howell, Charles Hubbard, Paul Justice, Eliot Kerner, Akal Krau, Dan Kuninsky, Craig Meredith, Lillian Napper, Norene Napper, Dana Neumann, Monica Rice, Gray Skinner, Brad Smith, Rachel Stevens, Alexander Reed-Krase, Michael Varlotta, and Elizabeth Wilson.

 The advocates were ably coached by third-year students who have gained advocacy experience through the advocacy curriculum and their extracurricular activities. The third-year coaches included Chloe Akers, Jamie Ballinger, Corey Brown, Justin Furrow, Todd Heird, Kurt Hippel, Charles Hunt, Aaron Kandel, Burke Keaty, Ben Marsee, Bryce McKenzie, Jonathan May, Carter Moore, Ellen Neese, Stevie Phillips, Patrick Powell, Leslie Shaffer, Jill Shotzberger, Liz Sitgreaves, Jenny Springer, and Trey Tally.

The judges, which included United States Magistrate Judges C. Clifford Shirley, Jr. and H. Bruce Guyton; Loudon County General Sessions Court Judge William H. Russell; Knoxville City Judge John R. Rosson, Jr.; UT Law Professor Jerry P. Black, Jr.; Ursula Bailey of Stacy, Whitt & Cooper; Michael Galligan, Galligan & Newman; Robert Kurtz, Stanley & Kurtz; and Andrew S. Roskind, McKellar & Roskind, unanimously agreed that the students were poised, professional, and persuasive in their presentations. The judges were aided in their deliberations by four able bailiffs, Adrienne Gilliam, Matt Lamberth, and Bart Williams. Jon Meagher served as consultant to the project as well as bailiff in the final round.

After one preliminary round, the judges selected six finalists who competed in the final round. The six finalists were Jamie Carter, Chris Collins, Craig Meredith, Lillian Napper, Monca Rice, and Rachel Stevens. Following the final round, Jamie Carter was given the 1st-place award; Monica Rice was given the 2nd-place award; and Rachel Stevens was given the 3rd-place award. The evening’s events were made possible by a generous donation given to the Center by Michael Galligan, UT alum and former Trial Practice adjunct professor.