Minnesota Law's National Moot Court Team Excels in Regional Competition, Petitioner Team Headed to Nationals

Last November, the National Moot Court team excelled at the regional competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both teams advanced past the preliminary rounds. The Respondent team won best overall brief and the Petitioner team finished in first place and advanced to the national rounds, to be held in New York City later this month.

All of the team members had a strong track record of success in the Law School’s Moot Court Program — either winning an award for their work in Civil Rights Civil Liberties Moot Court or previously excelling on a competition team. 

The team representing the Respondent included Melissa Hartley ’26, Lily Mura ’26, and Lowell Wolfe ’26. The team representing the Petitioner included Katell Ane ’26, Pia Puentespina ’26, and Joshua Ryan ’26. 

Coaches for the National Moot Court Competition team included Minnesota Law alumni Meghan Bast ’21, Aidan Zielske ’21, and Professor Randall Ryder ‘09. Bast and Zielske were teammates on the National Moot Court team as students. 

“All six students were committed to their work and their teammates — they were the most dedicated students we’ve worked with,” say Coaches Bast and Zielske.

Prof. Ryder says, “The results speak for themselves — the teams won the highest honors for both oral and written advocacy.”