Crowell & Moring Establishes Endowment for Moot Court Award

Contacts:
Susan Gluss, Berkeley Law, 510.642.6936, sgluss@law.berkeley.edu
Jessica O'Neil, Crowell & Moring LLP, 202.508.8750, joneil@crowell.com

Berkeley, CA—February 1, 2011… The international law firm Crowell & Moring LLP has established a "Best Brief Award" at UC Berkeley School of Law, to be given each year to two law students who author the top briefs in the school's James Patterson McBaine Honors Competition.

The 2011 McBaine Competition, Berkeley Law's internal moot court contest, takes place on Feb. 2 and is open to the law school's second- and third-year students. Its format is modeled after U.S. Supreme Court practice, with competitors preparing both an appellate brief and an oral argument.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor will preside over this year's final round. Joining Sotomayor on the judicial panel will be Judge William Fletcher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and California Supreme Court Associate Justice Carol Corrigan.

Gregory Call, partner and head of Crowell & Moring's San Francisco office and Northern California chair of its Litigation Group, called the McBaine Competition "one of the most highly regarded moot court competitions in the country."

The award was created through a $125,000 endowment, generated by donations from Berkeley Law alumni who work at Crowell & Moring, and will be underwritten at a commitment of $25,000 a year over five years.

"This endowment will help guarantee that the McBaine Competition continues to be one of the leading appellate advocacy competitions in the United States," said professor David Oppenheimer, director of professional skills at Berkeley Law. "It provides our students with valuable, practical experience and instruction from leading appellate advocates."

Judges, Berkeley Law faculty, and appellate practitioners evaluate the initial rounds of McBaine Competition oral arguments. Scores from the written briefs and oral arguments determine who advances to the quarterfinal round, and participants advance to the semifinal and final rounds based on the quality of their oral argument.

Student winners of the Best Brief Award will receive recognition during a private dinner with the judges and distinguished alumni.

"Berkeley Law is home to some of the brightest law students in the country," Call said. "This competition gives them an incredible learning opportunity and stepping stone as they prepare to serve our community and lead the profession."

Event Details: The moot court competition is open to the public and takes place Feb. 2 at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 pm. Tickets are free and may be picked up in advance at the Zellerbach Box Office (Tues.—Fri., 12:00 noon—5:30 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 1 p.m.— 5 p.m.), reserved online at http://tickets.berkeley.edu or by phone at 510-642-9988. Online and phone orders will be charged a $1 processing fee. Tickets are limited to two per person. All seating is general admission.

*For arrangements for group tickets or any other logistical questions, please contact Nancy Donovan at ndonovan@law.berkeley.edu.

Please note that no large bags or backpacks will be allowed in Zellerbach Hall, and all attendees will be subject to a security search.
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About University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
For over a century, Berkeley Law has prepared lawyers to be skilled and ethical problem-solvers. The law school's curriculum—one of the most comprehensive and innovative in the nation—offers its J.D. and advanced degree candidates a broad array of nearly 200 courses. Students collaborate with leading scholars and practitioners working at more than a dozen interdisciplinary centers, institutes, and clinical programs within its Boalt Hall complex. For more information, visit http://www.law.berkeley.edu/.

About Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with nearly 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels. Visit Crowell & Moring online at www.crowell.com.

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