The McGeorge School of Law team of Arvi Kaur and Michelle Yegiyants will advance to the national finals of the 2020 Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition, sponsored by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Because of unusual pairings, the team of Kaur and Michelle faced a second McGeorge team of Denny Yu and Aleksandra Smiljic in the semi-finals, meaning only one of the law school's teams could advance. Despite losing, Yu and Smiljic were awarded the best brief in the region.

“Arvi and Michelle, along with the entire McGeorge team, threw themselves into this competition and I am proud that their hard work paid off in impressive performances in the regional rounds,” says Ed Telfeyan, professor and moot court team director.

Overall, in their first competition of the year the McGeorge Moot Court team was recognized for a best brief, a semi-finalist in the regionals and a finalist in the regionals.

Telfeyan credits board member Sean Sterling, who serves as the student coach, Erin O’Neal Muilenburg, who is the faculty coach, Erich Shiners and Brad Coutinho, who are the alum coaches, and Mamta Singh, who is the research assistant for the coaches and team members for the team's success in the competition.

The national finals will be held November 13 and will be held virtually.

Sponsored by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Law Foundation, the competition is open to all students but is especially designed to provide Asian Pacific American law students with an opportunity to showcase their writing and oral advocacy skills.

The competition is named for the late Thomas Tang, a senior judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Tang was a strong supporter of the bar association and its activities, including the creation of its moot court competition, which was renamed after his death in 1995.