Howard Law School team defeats Harvard Law in moot court competition

Black Issues in Higher Education, May 19, 2005

WASHINGTON

The Howard University Law School's moot court team took first place in the American Bar Association Mock Trial Competition, the first team representing a historically Black college or university to do so.

Howard knocked off back-to-back champion Harvard University to take the top spot among the 18 teams competing.

"It solidified the fact that although others think we are a third-tier law school, we are the best trial advocates," says team member Chris Stewart, a third-year student. "No mathematical equation can calculate our excellence in trial advocacy."

Stewart was named best advocate in the April competition.

The Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Moot Court Team includes 20 law students in their second and third years. The tournament, now in its 15th year, hosted teams of four. Stewart, Adonna Bannister, Nisha Brooks and Derrick Simmons represented the law school.

Team members were chosen through a series of competitions. First, open slots for the moot court team were filled through an intra-school competition at the end of the spring semester. In the fall term, members competed among themselves to decide who would represent the university in tournaments.

"Our success is due to our faith in each other as teammates, our diligent preparation and our belief that we will do whatever is necessary to represent our school and our community to the best of our abilities," says Errick D. Simmons, the team captain. When the team advanced, he had the announcer spell out "Howard" so that the audience would not mistakenly hear "Harvard."

"The team we won against was good and we were just a little better," Brooks, a third-year student, said. "It wasn't a slam dunk. It wasn't easy, we put in a lot of work, time and a lot of late nights."

"We are ecstatic about being able to contribute to the legacy of Howard Law," says Derrick Simmons. "I love Patrick Swygert for his vision, Dean [Kurt] Schmoke for his leadership of the law school, and faculty, staff and students for their continued support," referring to the university president and law school dean, respectively.