Touro Hosts National Competition

A team from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, Cincinnati, Ohio won the Law Center's 11th Annual National Law and Religion Moot Court Competition, which was held on campus and at the United States Courthouse in Central Islip on Sunday-Monday, March 30-31, besting a team from Chicago Kent College of Law.

The competition, run by the Moot Court Honors Board of Advocates, drew teams from 20 law schools around the country. Over 40 attorneys from the bench and bar participated as competition judges, including Touro Law alumni, faculty, and administrators.

This year’s problem was based on Mahmoud v. Taylor, currently pending before SCOTUS, on the issue of whether public schools unconstitutionally burden parents’ religious exercise when they compel elementary school children to participate in instruction on gender and sexuality against their parents’ religious convictions and without notice or opportunity to opt out.

Associate Dean Myra Berman, faculty advisor for Moot Court, stated, “I was incredibly impressed by the exceptional caliber of teams we welcomed from law schools across the country. These students demonstrated remarkable legal reasoning, persuasive advocacy, and poise under pressure—qualities that will serve them well in their future careers.” She continued, “The dedication of our own students in organizing this competition was nothing short of extraordinary. This competition serves as a vital platform for our law school. It gives us the chance to showcase our commitment to practical legal education while building meaningful connections with the broader legal community. The reputation we've established through this competition has attracted attention from top firms and jurists, creating valuable opportunities for our students and enhancing our institution's standing in legal education. This competition has truly become a cornerstone of our school's identity and a testament to our commitment to developing the next generation of outstanding legal advocates."

Thank you to all the competitors, judges, bailiffs, Research Editors, Editors-in-Chief, faculty, staff, and administrators who helped make the competition a success.

First place photo (from l to r): Hon. James Wicks, Hon. Joseph Bianco, University of Cincinnati College of Law students Alex Michaelson and Joelle Newman and Dr. Mark Goldfeder.

Second place photo (from l to r): Hon. Joseph Bianco, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Joshua Melton and Alexander Dyer, Hon James Wicks and Dr. Mark Goldfeder.