Two students from Vermont Law School took first place in the Appellate Moot Court Competition during the 12th annual National Animal Law Competitions (NALC), held Feb. 27-March 1 at Harvard Law School.
Scott Lake '15 and Sophie Guilfoyle '15 earned the top spot at the inter-law school competition, presented by the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School and the Animal Legal Defense Fund. In addition, Guilfoyle was awarded Best Oralist in the competition.
"Sophie and Scott worked very hard to prepare for the National Animal Law Competitions," said Doug Ruley, director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic (ENRLC) at Vermont Law School. "They deserved to win, and they are a great example of the advocacy skills that we teach here at the ENRLC and at Vermont Law School."
"Their representation of Vermont Law School will be remembered for many years to come," said Megan Backsen '15, chair of the Animal Law Society at VLS. "We in the Animal Law Society couldn't possibly be prouder of them."
The 2015 NALC Appellate Moot Court final round judges were the Hon. Susan P. Graber, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; the Hon. Benita Y. Pearson, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio; and the Hon. D. Brooks Smith, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
The Vermont Law School community also congratulates the Michigan State University College of Law team on their second-place finish, and the teams from Lewis & Clark Law School and Georgetown University Law Center on their semi-finalist placements.
For more information about the National Animal Law Competitions, visit http://bit.ly/1LkgNYD.
The Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic operates as a public interest law office where student clinicians develop arguments and claims, explore strategies and options, and communicate effectively with clients, courts, agency officials, scientific experts, and opposing parties. Students work directly with conservation organizations and community groups to promote access to justice on important environmental issues and to seek positive outcomes for clients on issues ranging from labeling of genetically engineered foods to protecting the endangered gray wolf. For more information about the ENRLC, visit vermontlaw.edu/ENRLC, email Doug Ruley at druley@vermontlaw.edu, or call 802-831-1136.