18 T H E TO U R O L AW Y E R  | S P R I N G 20 17 The Moot Court Honor Society participated in six competitions this past Fall and sent six additional teams to competitions throughout the Spring. The members also hosted the Third Annual National Religion and Law Competition in April, where 22 teams from law schools across the country came to Touro Law to participate. And, they do even more for their fellow students. The Moot Court has assisted student organizations that have been approved to compete in national competitions, assisted with try-outs, coaching, and mooting. The Black Law Students Association, the Labor and Employment Law Association, and the Entertainment and Sports Law Society are just a few of the student organizations that Moot Court has worked with to enhance learning experiences for all of Touro Law’s students who participate in advocacy competitions. One such group was The Latino(a) American Law Students Association (LALSA). A team of three LALSA students competed in the Puerto Rican Bar Association’s Moot Court Competition. After winning at the regional level and earning best brief, the team traveled to Orlando, Florida in October. The bench included New York Court Appeals Bench’s own Judge Jenny Rivera as well as several other highly respected jurists. The team—Denisse Mira, Bridgette Nunez, and Jose Rojas—was well-prepared and confident. They took second place—an extraordinary showing for Touro’s first time competing in this National competition. Denisse stated, “I gained so much from this experience, including improved writing and public speaking skills. Arguing in front of judges and holding my ground gave me confidence and re-affirmed that I am truly meant to be in this field.” COMPETITIVE STRIDES Moot court, arbitration and negotiation competitions provide students with valuable opportunities to hone the skills they learn in the classroom. Touro Law students routinely compete and host competitions, and this year was no exception, with impressive results.