Each year, the Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition gives students from law schools across the United States the opportunity to argue, in both written and oral form, an issue in trademark and unfair competition law. Santa Clara University School of Law regularly sends at least one team of students to compete in this competition at the regional level. The winner of the regional competition goes on to the national finals, where teams compete for a cash prize – and, of course, bragging rights.
This year, the competition focused on trademark law, including likelihood of confusion, waiver, progressive encroachment and abandonment. Santa Clara University School of Law sent two teams of four students to the regional competition in San Francisco on February 21, 2004: LaTanya Funches, Ada Han, Eric Hinkes, Ryan Hobby, Erika Labit, Han Le, Caryn Margolis, and Michele Wojtasiak. Professor Colby Springer, a Lecturer in Law who practices intellectual property and litigation law with the law firm of Carr & Ferrell, LLP, coached the students throughout the academic year in preparation for the competition.
Both teams representing the School of Law gave strong performances at the regional competition, with the team of Ada Han, Ryan Hobby, Erika Labit, and Michele Wojtasiak winning first place for their oral argument, second place overall, and second place for their brief. Professor Springer remarked, “Participating in an advocacy competition like the Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court, I feel, is one of the most rewarding experiences for a law student. The experiential learning environment of the competition gives students the opportunity to live and learn the careful balancing act that is the art of being an appellate attorney: zealous advocate, legal educator and guest of the court. I am pleased by our ongoing strong marks in the oral element of the competition and our continued improvement in the written advocacy component over the past three years.”
For more information on the Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition, please see http://www.bnef.org/events/lefkowitz.html.
