Georgia Law moot court team takes first place in regional competition, advances to nationals

December 3, 2009 Writer: Heidi Murphy, 706/583-5487, hmurphy@uga.eduContact: Kellie Casey Monk, 706/542-2739, krcasey@uga.edu Athens, Ga. – Three University of Georgia School of Law students joined forces to take home the top trophy at a regional round of the National Moot Court Competition held November 20-21 in Atlanta. This trio, composed of third-year students Marie E. Greene, Kevin P. Murphy and Ashley L. Scruggs, will now advance to the national tier of this tournament to be held in New York City during February. Coached by Georgia Law’s Director of Advocacy Kellie Casey Monk, the Georgia team defeated students from Georgia State University, Florida Coastal, Barry University and the University of South Carolina in the preliminary rounds. They again overcame South Carolina in the semifinals and then beat Emory University to become regional champions. “All of the teams we faced in the tournament were superb,” Monk said. “The level of competition seems to get better each and every year. This team worked so very well together. We are indebted to all of the faculty and alumni who help us to prepare. We look forward to performing well at nationals.” This will be Georgia Law’s eighth trip to the national tier of the tournament in the last 10 years. In 2002-03, the school finished as national semifinalists, while in 2007-08, 2005-06 and 2003-04, Georgia teams were national quarterfinalists. Considered one of the premier moot court competitions in the country, each year more than 150 law schools field teams in the National Moot Court Competition, which allows law students to hone their appellate advocacy skills by arguing before prominent members of the legal profession. #