RWU Law topped Duke and a host of other law schools to win the championship in the nation’s premiere Criminal Law moot court competition.
Bristol, R.I., March 30, 2010: Roger Williams University School of Law team topped Duke and a field of teams from other law schools across the nation to win the championship in the country’s premiere Criminal Law moot court competition.
Twenty-five teams from law schools across the country participated in the twelfth annual Herbert Wechsler National Criminal Law Moot Court Competition, held Saturday, March 27, at the Erie County Courthouse in Buffalo, N.Y. The RWU Law team consisted of third-year law student Ron Rose of Manlius, N.Y., and second-year student Justin “JP” Pruett of Harrisonburg, Va.
“Ron and Justin represented RWU Law very well; they performed superbly,” said assistant professor and director of competitions Jon Shelburne, who coached the team. “Not only did RWU Law win the final round against Duke, it was a unanimous decision. The judges specifically lauded Ron and JP’s ability to handle challenging questions without relying on any notes.”
“This is only the most recent example of the top-quality advocacy skills that students develop at Roger Williams Law, and proves how a personalized education in a supportive environment prepares our graduates to hit the ground running after graduation,” noted RWU Law Dean David A. Logan.
The final panel consisted of Judge Eugene Pigott of the New York State Court of Appeals, retired Court of Appeals Judge George Bundy Smith, Erie County Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dillon and Federal Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder.
Named for the drafter of the Model Penal Code, the Wechsler Competition is the only national moot court competition in the United States focusing on topics in substantive criminal law. This year’s problem involved issues arising under a Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
