For the first time in Barry Law School history, the Barry Law Moot Court team finished first overall in the 2016 Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition, which was sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar. In addition, Barry won both of the other top prizes at the event – Best Advocate and Best Brief.

The Barry Law Moot Court team comprised of students Geraldine Pena, Dalya Zalloum and brief-writer Michael Andriano. Pena earned Best Advocate award in both the preliminary rounds and in the final round, and Andriano won for Best Brief.

“Barry Law’s Moot Court Orseck win is a major victory,” said Barry Law’s Moot Court faculty advisor professor Terri Day. “Our Barry team beat the best of the best, as Florida law schools are some of the nation’s top-ranked Moot Court programs.”

This Florida-wide competition occurs annually during the Florida Bar Convention, culminating in the final round before the Florida Supreme Court. All 12 Florida law schools competed this year.

In the three preliminary rounds, the quarter-final and the semi-final rounds, Barry out-scored Florida A&M University College of Law, Florida Coastal School of Law, Stetson University College of Law, Ava Maria School of Law and University of Miami School of Law. Barry faced and beat Stetson Law for the second time in the final round to win the competition.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our students,” said Leticia M. Diaz, dean of Barry Law School. “They worked incredibly hard and dedicated a great deal of time towards preparing for this stellar performance.”

Barry Law’s Moot Court team previously finished in the final four of the Orseck Memorial Competition in 2014.