The Moot Court Honors Board (MCHB) is a student-run division of the school that creates and administers all of California Western’s moot court competitions. The MCHB plans, organizes, and hosts the Gafford Mock Trial competition, the Gill Competition, the Lynch Appellate Competition, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Competition. The MCHB also plays an integral role in selecting and preparing our interschool competitors that represent California Western School of Law throughout the nation.
Mission Statement
We, the Moot Court Honors Board, dedicate ourselves to implement, create, administer, and ensure, the highest quality moot court competitions, mock trial competitions, and advocacy events at California Western School of Law. Our vision is to create realistic and fair advocacy events to build and shape the advocacy skills of students, and create strong, professional traveling teams to represent our school throughout the nation. Questions about Moot Court Honors Board? Email one of our Board Members listed on the right side of this web page! [separator_dots]
2021 Officers & Contacts
CEO: Benjamin Blowers
CFO: Mayra Langer
Executive Coordinator: Brooke Baeyans
Outreach Coordinator: Morgen Johnson
Trial Coordinator: Karla Sasing
Trial Coordinator: Brian Goh
Appellate Coordinator: Morgan Bell
Appellate Coordinator: Ellie Krylova
ADR Coordinator: Michaela Adduci-King
Faculty Advisor: Paul Parisi- PParisi@cwsl.edu
General Board Members: Alfredo Jimenez; Andrea Martinez; Cameron Nia; Dante Thorn; Katherine Johnston; Mathew Costello; Madalyn Nelson; Vanik Aroutunian
2021 New Member Application
Please contact MCHB@law.cwsl.edu
MCHB Social Media
Summer 2020 Intraschool Competition Winners
William C. Lynch Appellate Competition
- 1st Place: Stephanie Lugo
- 2nd Place: Max Newman
- 3rd Place: Janey Peterson
- Distinguish Advocate Award: Matt Sullivan; Camille Galanto; Cortnee Jones
Fall 2020 Intraschool Competition Winners
William C. Lynch Appellate Competition
- Distinguish Advocate Award: Connor Rathbun
David M. Gill Trial Competition
- 1st Place: Alexis Lamprea
- 2nd Place: Matthew Jensen
- 3rd Place: Yasmeen Saberi
- Distinguish Advocate Award: Nathan Rodriguez; Nataly Prado; Lynnell Harris; Nich Ahadzadeh; Anthony Ross; Luciana Roble; John Brummel
Spring 2021 Intra School Competitions
Gafford Trial Competition
- 1st Place: Hannah Bushyeager
- 2nd Place: Brittney Kondrat
- 3rd Place: Amanda Chavez
- Distinguish Advocate Award: Alexis Holbrook; Anthony Akil; Raul Rabago; Tina Mihelich; Bridget Hulburt; Brooke Miles; Emma Van Ginneken; Jessica Pfeiff; Priscilla Camarena; Michael Garman; Latasha Augustus; and Tyler Nigut.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Competition
- 1st Place: Maliat Chowdhurry & Sara Berry
- 2nd Place: Ayra Sadighian & Tyler Nigut
- Distinguish Advocate Awards: Maliat Chowdhury; Sara Berry; Arya Sadighian; and Ishdeep Bharma.
William C. Lynch Appellate Competition
- 1st Place: Jonathan Kaldas
- 2nd Place: Chelsey Barkley
- 3rd Place: Alexandria Loveless & Joseph Birouty
- Distinguish Advocate Awards: Emily Reeves, Benjamin Blowers, Jessica Pfeiff, Shayna Noyce, Amanda Chavez, Elizabeth Silverman.
Gafford Competition
1L competition is a spring event and is one of the largest intrascholastic events at CWSL with nearly 100 competitors. This competition is open to second trimester 1Ls. Each competitor performs either an opening or closing statement. Finalists are eligible for a Distinguished Advocate award.
The David M. Gill Trial Competition
The David M. Gill Trial competition is held in the Spring. The Gill competition is open to anyone who has completed their first trimester of law school. The competition requires performing either an opening or closing statement and sometimes requires a direct or a cross examination, depending on the fact pattern. Finalists of this competition are eligible to receive Distinguished Advocate (DA) Awards.
ADR
There are Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) events throughout the year in the areas of negotiation and mediation. These competitions are the primary way students are selected for the traveling negotiation and mediation teams. In 2011, the negotiation team took 3rd place in their American Bar Association region, and the mediation team took 1st and 2nd in the State Bar of California competition. In 2015, CWSL students took 1st Place in the Cal Bar Environmental Law Student Negotiations Competition.
Appellate
The William C. Lynch Appellate Competition is in Spring trimester. The competition is open to 2Ls and 3Ls. Each competitor has seven minutes to present an appellate argument and field questions from a panel of three judges. Finalists are eligible for a Distinguished Advocate award.
DA Boot Camp
Students with DA awards have the opportunity to take CWSL’s Trial Skills Class, also referred to as summer “boot camp.” The boot camp is an intense summer session, for credit, that teaches students valuable trial skills. Students who wish to be on trial teams must complete the “boot camp” to be eligible for a traveling team. CWSL has had much local, regional, and national success with their traveling trial teams and has some of the best coaches in the nation.