Advocacy at the Highest Level

Co-Directors of McGeorge's Eglet Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution

Cary Bricker and Ed Telfeyan.

We are pleased to share that 2021 was another very eventful year for the newly renamed Eglet Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution at McGeorge School of Law. Our students had another successful year competing in Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions. The Center benefited from a historic donation to the law school.

A Historic Gift

Tracy and Robert T. Eglet at McGeorge School of Law.

McGeorge alumnus Robert T. Eglet, '88 (right), and his law partner and wife, Tracy Eglet (left), made a $25 million estate gift to McGeorge School of Law this year. Thanks to the University of the Pacific's unique Powell Match program, the total value of the gift will actually be $30 million. The overwhelming majority of the gift is going to fund scholarships for first-generation law students and students from historically disadvantaged communities.

Approximately $9 million of the gift is going to support the newly renamed Eglet Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution at McGeorge. The gift will support a fund for Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions that will ensure that every student who wants to compete will not have to worry about being able to afford competition fees. The gift will also fund three faculty positions - The Robert T. Eglet Professor of Trial Skills, the Tracy Eglet Professor of Dispute Resolution, and the Robert T. Eglet Professor of Evidence.

Student Success Continue in Competitions

McGeorge was ranked No. 8 in the United States for Trial Advocacy by U.S. News & World Report in their rankings released in the spring of 2021. McGeorge was also ranked 15th in Fordham's Mock Trial rankings for 2021. Our teams have continued their successes into this Fall.

McGeorge students (from second from the left to right) Jorge Casanova, Jen Barbanica, Elizabeth Griswold, and Bethany Samarin along with their coaches Byron Roope and Matt Taylor after competing in The Verdict Competition.

Mock Trial

McGeorge advanced to the semi-finals of the Battle of the Experts, and Alec Watson won Best Advocate for the Preliminary Rounds. The team was coached by Keith Hill and Nicki Cunningham.

McGeorge also reached the semi-finals at the invitational Summit Cup in Denver. McGeorge also took home the Most Professional Team honors. The team was coached by Leland Washington and Jason Schiff.

At The Verdict competition, held in front of a live jury, Elizabeth Griswold won the Best Advocate - Defense Side award. McGeorge's team in that competition was coached by Byron Roope and Matt Taylor.

Jenna Forester took home the Best Closing award at the National Civil Trial Competition. McGeorge's NCTC team was coached by Keith Hill and Nicki Cunningham.

Moot Court

McGeorge sent two teams to the Appellate Lawyers Association Moot Court competition. The teams consisted of Steve Martinez, Saralyn Adkins, and Kylie Ohm (writer) on Team 1 and Jessica Perkins, Mike Della Maggiore, and Christine Luu (writer) on Team 2. The teams were coached by faculty coach Etan Zaitsu, alumni coaches Matt Fleming and Gil Vega, and student coach Mo Rockel-Navazi. Micaela Chapa was the team's research assistant.

There were also two McGeorge teams at the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court competition. The first team consisted of Tyler O'Connell and Flora Feizi. The second team was Stephen Eyherabide and AJ Rossitto. The teams were coached by faculty coach Dan Croxall, alumni coaches My Tien Doan and Maricar Pascual, and student Mamta Singh. Monika Vermani was the team's research assistant.

At the Elon National competition, McGeorge was represented by two teams. Arantxa Gonzalez, Melissa Hurtado Valdez, and Annabella Yousif were on one team and Anna Evans and Scott Hroza were on the other. The teams were coached by faculty coach Erin O'Neal Muilenburg, alumni coach Robert Mayville, and student coach Michael Garcia. Amanda Stone was the team's research assistant.

Tracy Dudick and Jordan Hutchings represented McGeorge at the Veterans National competition. They were coached by faculty coach Jeff Proske, alumni coaches Tim Kamermayer Arvi Kaur, Michelle Yegiyants, and Madison Simmons, and student coach Knarik Melkonyan. Hunter Hayes was the team's research assistant.

Other Announcements

Noël M. Ferris Professor Cary Bricker participated in the VI International Congress on Trial By Jury's "The Power of the Jury: the Experience of Argentina and the World Panel" where she spoke about the rules of evidence and hearsay as part of a panel on the changing procedures and practices relating to jury trials in Argentina.

A Farewell

After nearly 26 years of teaching at McGeorge School of Law, Professor Emeritus Jay Leach taught his last class this November and is retiring from teaching. His incredible career includes launching the National Ethics Trial Competition (NETC), earning the Oliphant Award from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, publishing multiple books on California and federal rules of evidence, and preparing countless law students to become passionate, zealous advocates.