McGeorge teams shine in 2022-2023 ABA Competitions Championship

Oct 04, 2023

The 2022-23 McGeorge School of Law Moot Court team members soared in the ABA-sanctioned competitions.

McGeorge School of Law secured seventh place in the nation in the American Bar Association (ABA) Competitions Championship for the 2022-2023 academic year. This recognition underscores the McGeorge’s commitment to preparing students to become practice-ready lawyers and providing them with hands-on learning experiences. Rankings are based on law schools’ performance in all ABA-sanctioned competitions, which include competitions in Arbitration, Negotiation, Client Counseling, Appellate Advocacy, and Mediation.

The Competitions Championship Award acknowledges the efforts of law schools in preparing their students for practical legal careers. McGeorge School of Law's ranking reflects its dedication to delivering a comprehensive curriculum that fosters practical skills among its students. This is the second time in the past five years that McGeorge has enjoyed a top-10 ranking; in 2020, McGeorge placed 7th in the ABA Competitions Championship Rankings.

Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz expressed pride in the school's recent ranking in the ABA Competitions Championship.

"Our placement in the ABA Competitions Championship again this year reflects our commitment to providing students with opportunities to pursue their passion for the law while equipping them with the skills they need to become skilled advocates. We are dedicated to fostering a comprehensive learning experience that prepares our students for the real-world challenges of the legal profession,” Schwartz said.

Two teams of McGeorge School of Law students competed in February at the regional American Bar Association Client Counseling Competition at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in New York. The team of Jeramy Young, ’23, and third-year law students Kiersten Brown and Jailene Sandoval Diaz earned a second-place win while competing against 15 teams. The team of third-year law students Fatima Abdo, Camille Delizo, and Christopher Toland also put in a great effort in the preliminary rounds. Brown, Sandoval Diaz, and Young also competed in the national competition at Baylor University School of Law in March.

A group of 8 people pose by a sign at a school

Jeramy Young, ’23, and third-year law students Kiersten Brown, Jailene Sandoval Diaz, Fatima Abdo, Camille Delizo, Christopher Toland, and Fara Rodriguez competed in the American Bar Association Client Counseling Competition in February 2023. The teams were coached by Adjunct Professor Kathleen Friedrich. 

Moot Court

McGeorge School of Law’s moot court program is currently ranked 14th in the nation, according to rankings published by the University of Houston Law Center. The program received the recognition for its success during the 2022-23 competition season.

McGeorge’s moot court program is ranked No. 2 among law schools in California, higher than the University of California Los Angeles School of Law and Pepperdine University Rick J. Caruso School of Law.

Students in McGeorge's moot court program brought home awards in nine of the 12 competitions entered, including a national championship at the 2022 Appellate Lawyers Association National Moot Court Competition Championship.

Mock Trial

Throughout the year, McGeorge students consistently excelled in various mock trial competitions, including being one of only seven law schools to reach the national finals of two prestigious mock trial competitions and winning the Annual San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association Mock Trial Competition and Region Three of the National All-Star Bracket Challenge. 

The recognition by the American Bar Association for McGeorge’s competitions programs is one of several received this year, which includes the Trial Advocacy program receiving a noteworthy No. 9 ranking in the U.S. News & World Report's evaluation of Trial Advocacy programs  and an A ranking in Trial Advocacy, a distinction awarded to only four California-based law schools in the Winter 2023 issue of preLaw Magazine.

McGeorge School of Law's continued success in practical skills competitions and its impressive Trial Advocacy program rankings once again confirm its status as offering one of the best student-centered, practice-focused legal educations in the country.

For more information about McGeorge School of Law, visit our website.

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McGeorge School of Law