The Bankruptcy Moot Court team successfully completed a challenging 2022 season of moot competition. Representing the University of Maryland, second-year student Mark Melmed and MBA/JD second-year student Michael Gaskell competed in the American College of Bankruptcy (ACB) Fourth Circuit competition on Feb. 21, 2022. The team also competed in the national preeminent Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition.
The team was proudly coached by Judge Robert Gordon ‘82, adjunct professor and retired 4th Circuit Bankruptcy judge, and assisted by alumni Nicole Bozzella ’21 and Robert Hockenbury ‘21. Heather Terech served as faculty advisor.
The American College of Bankruptcy (ACB) Fourth Circuit competition is a regional tournament for law school teams competing in the National Duberstein Moot Court Competition hosted by St. John’s University School of Law in New York City. The competition is hosted each year by the Education Committee of the ACB. The oral competition was held virtually with law schools from the Fourth and D.C. Circuits participating. This was the first competition for both students.
The team also competed at the Duberstein from Feb. 25 to March 1, 2022. The Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition promotes and recognizes the finest oral and written advocacy on significant issues in bankruptcy practice. The students are required to write an Appellate Brief without coaching assistance and be prepared to argue both sides of the issues presented alternating throughout the competition.
Although new to bankruptcy, the students quickly became proficient with knowledge of the Bankruptcy Code. Appearing in three preliminary rounds, the students were under quickfire with questions from a panel of judges which tested their knowledge as well as their oral presentation skills. The team performed well, earning such compliments as “phenomenal” and having a “great presence.” According to Judge Gordon, the students’ performance was well above other competitors showing a great caliber of knowledge and advocacy.
Transactional Law Team
The Transactional Law team competed in the Duke Law Interscholastic Transactional Law Competition on March 26, 2022. Hosted virtually by Duke University School of Law, students participated in a mock contract mark-up and negotiation. Teams were assigned to represent a client in a fictional deal concerning venture capital funding. Teams consisted of two students competing in two rounds of 90 minutes each. The students’ skills were judged by a panel of attorneys from several of the nation’s leading law firms. This year’s competition consisted of 26 teams representing law schools from around the country.
Maryland Carey Law had two teams compete. The entire Transactional Law Team did an excellent job of preparing and competing. It was a true team effort with members including Gedalia Winchell (3LE), Randi Rubinstein (3L), and Kevin Johnson (2L) all contributing to assist two competing teams consisting of Alex Kim (3L) and Nick Curtis (2L) along with Julia Levine (2L) and Devin Hardin (2L). Under the direction of coaches Joseph Ward ’03 and Tea Carnell ‘92, the competing students practiced and prepared with the assistance of all the team members.
Alex Kim and Nick Curtis demonstrated their exceptional negotiation skills along with excellent drafting skills earning the team Overall Second Place as well as Second Place in Drafting. Coach Tea Carnell added, “We are proud of the students’ quick mastery of complex concepts in mergers and acquisitions. They all did a great job in the preparation and, in particular, supporting each other. Additional congratulations to Nick and Alex for their success in the competition.”
All of the team members have been active members of the Business Law Program, which aims to provide practical skills along with the ability to think critically as they become the newest generation of attorneys to address cutting-edge business law issues.