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William S. Richardson School of Law’s 2012 National Native American Law Students Association moot court team.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law students won seven out of nine top awards at the National Native American Law Students Association’s 20th Annual Moot Court Competition, held in Honolulu on February 24–25.

The Mānoa students won first, second and (tied) for third place in the best advocate category. They also placed first and second place in the best oralist category and second and third in the best brief category. 

Fifty-six teams, representing 28 law schools, competed. Competing schools included Columbia University, Cornell University, the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and the University of California Los Angeles.

This year’s competition problem involved a fictitious Pacific indigenous group facing many of the same issues faced by Native Hawaiians. The issues dealt with federal recognition and membership.

“We’re excited about our performance this year,” said third year law student and team captain Adam Roversi.

“We’re very proud of our students,” said Professor Williamson Chang, the team’s faculty advisor. “Over the past few years, they’ve consistently done well in this particular competition.”

Between 1997 and 2011, the law school won 23 awards in this competition according to the team’s website. This year’s win brings the team to 30 awards.

Competition awards

Best Advocate Category

  • First Place—Tyler Gomes and Teri Wright, University of Hawaiʻi
  • Second Place—Caycie Gusman and Catherine Hall, University of Hawaiʻi
  • Third Place—Shefali Singh and Caroline Stover, Columbia Law School tied with Zachary DiIonno and Fawn Jade Koopman, University of Hawaiʻi


Best Legal Brief

  • First Place—Jocelyn Jenks and Jacquelyn Jampolsky, University of Colorado
  • 
Second Place—Caycie Gusman and Catherine Hall, University of Hawaiʻi
  • Third Place—Zachary DiIonno and Fawn Jade Koopman, University of Hawaiʻi

Best Oralist

  • 
First Place—Tyler Gomes, University of Hawaiʻi
  • Second Place—Ana Won Pat Borja, University of Hawaiʻi
  • Third Place—Cecelia Knapp, William Mitchell School of Law



Other student participants include Adam Roversi, Elika Otoya Stimpson, Jarrett Keohokalole and Randall Wat.



For more information, visit the UH National Native American Law Students Association website.

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