[PeterParker]

Looks like Regent Law School scored big this past Spring at the National Moot Court Tournament:
http://www.demossnewspond.com/Regent/AB ... 041806.htm

Regent University Scores Big Win in Nation's Top Moot Court Competition

Regent Law Students 11-0 in American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 18, 2006—Students from Regent University’s School of Law won the American Bar Association’s (ABA) National Appellate Advocacy Competition in April by defeating Seton Hall University at the highly-regarded national legal competition in Chicago. Of the more than 150 teams competing at regional competitions held earlier this year throughout the nation, only 20 were chosen to compete at the national level, TWO of which were from Regent University.

The Regent team of Andrew Baugher (hailing from Elkton, Va.), Dannielle Hall (Chesapeake, Va.), and Dean Scharnhorst (Virginia Beach, Va.) emerged as tournament champions and also placed first for Best Brief. Baugher also placed sixth for Best Oralist, while Hall placed eighth nationally for the same category.

“This is a great achievement for the university, for the law school, and for Professor Stephen McPherson, faculty coach, who guided the team to victory,” commented Regent University Chancellor and President Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson. “Without question, these victories are acknowledgement of Regent University Law School as one of the preeminent law schools in the United States.”

The weekend’s win is hardly Regent Law’s first time in the national spotlight. In 2002, Regent won for Best Brief at this same competition. The law school has also scored numerous past wins at legal competitions such as the William B. Spong Moot Court Tournament and the Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition.

The two teams of Regent Law students advanced to the final round of this year’s ABA competition after both emerged with unbeaten 5-0 records in the Charleston, S.C. Regional on March 11. Throughout the competition, the students argued a case involving the fictitious state of Calisota and the right of its felons to vote. Each team participated in three rounds before the 20 participants were reduced to eight. The final eight, including both Regent teams, then went head-to-head in a single-elimination tournament to decide the winner.

In attaining their 11-0 undefeated record, Regent defeated Seton Hall, Thomas Jefferson, Baylor, and Southern Illinois in head-to-head competition, while advancing ahead of schools such as William & Mary, Washington, Memphis, Loyola Chicago, Oklahoma, Minnesota, St. Mary’s, and Southern Methodist.

Regent’s second team in the competition made it to the quarterfinals of the competition, placing sixth overall and placing fifth for Best Brief. That team was comprised of Seth Lowry (Olean, N.Y.), Jonathan Shumate (Greeley, Colo.), and Trisha Festerling (Milwaukee, Wis.).

The ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition is a nationwide event sponsored by the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division. The case for the competition is set in the U.S. Supreme Court format and is focused on the area of constitutional or statutory law. The competition includes appellate brief writing and oral advocacy. The competition hosts five regional events, with the top four teams from each region qualifying for the national finals.

Regent University was founded in 1978 and was soon recognized as the nation’s premier Christian graduate university. Today, Regent has grown to encompass campuses in Virginia Beach and Washington, D.C., as well as having a strong presence online around the world. Students earn bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in the fields of business, communication, divinity, education, government, law, leadership studies, and psychology and counseling.

From reading the LULAW page, it seems like they are laying the foundation for a similar result in the near future.