The St. Mary’s University School of Law Moot Court Team traveled to Washington, D.C., last week and returned home with a third national championship in the past four years at the Federal Bar Association’s 18th annual Thurgood A. Marshall Moot Court Competition.

All three moot court teams from the St. Mary’s University External Advocacy Program (EAP) advanced to the quarterfinals, dominating much of the competition at one of the nation’s premier moot court competitions. The event drew 38 teams from across the United States.

“St. Mary’s consistency in bringing the FBA Champion’s Cup back to San Antonio three out of the last four years is directly attributable to the high caliber of students that are part of the St. Mary’s law school community,” said St. Mary’s adjunct law professor Ricky Poole (J.D. ’90), who coaches the law school’s moot court teams.

The championship round was held at the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and consisted of only St. Mary’s teams. The team of third-year law students Stephen Bachran and Bianca Frisaura ultimately surpassed the team of second-year law students Dylan Pearcy and Olivero Flores.

Bachran was part of a two-person St. Mary’s team that won the national title last year as well.

This year, Bachran was recognized as the third-best advocate out of 76 competitors in the preliminary rounds of the competition, Pearcy took home best advocate in the finals, and the team of second-year law students Stephanie De Sola and Leah Wise won second-best overall brief.

The prestigious competition addresses emerging issues of federal statutory and constitutional law. Judges included distinguished members of the federal bench and bar who were in Washington for the Federal Bar Association’s mid-year meeting.

“Placing three of the top eight teams at a national competition is, in my experience and opinion, remarkable,” Poole said. “The fact that St. Mary’s students did not lose an elimination round to any other school at the competition other than another St. Mary’s team is equally amazing.”

Other St. Mary’s moot court team wins include being named the 2015 Rocky Mountain Region Champions for the National Black Law Students Association Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition and winning the 2014 State Bar of Texas Annual Mack Kidd Administrative Law Moot Court Competition.

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