Brandon White (3L) shakes Florida Supreme Court Justice James E.C. Perry’s hand after the 29th annual Raymer F. Maguire, Jr. Moot Court Competition on Thursday in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center courtroom. (Photo by Elise Giordano)

By Lindsey Tercilla
Student writer

“You’re getting a far better education than when I was here,” said Florida Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga (JD 79) on Thursday to a packed room of UF Law students, faculty and staff. “Everything you saw today was real. This is exactly how we behave in the courtroom.”

Guests filled the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center courtroom to hear the Florida Moot Court Team argue as the Florida Supreme Court sat en banc to judge the competition for the second time at UF Law in the past decade at the 29th annual Raymer F. Maguire, Jr. Moot Court Competition.

Jessica Clements (2L), Ryan Gilbert (3L) and DeeDee Scheller (2L) represented the petitioner. Ian Dankelman (2L), Danielle Grundt (3L) and Brandon White (3L) represented the respondent.

The teams presented legal arguments based on questions about a police detective’s qualified immunity from a civil liability arising out of the arrest of an innocent man for a sex offense.

The award for best team went to the respondents, and Ian Dankelman (2L) took home the best oral advocate award.

The competitors will argue this case in the regional round on Feb.14 in Las Vegas. If they win the regional round they will advance to the national round.

The Florida Supreme Court stands with Florida Moot Court Team members after the competition Thursday. (Photo by Elise Giordano)

Mary Adkins, director of the Legal Writing and Appellate Advocacy Program and master legal skills professor, said the competition benefits all students.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for competitors to practice their talents, but it’s also great for the whole student body to see their peers in action and great judges in action,” she said.

The rare opportunity to have all seven judges at UF Law was an added benefit.

“The fact that they made themselves available to all be here says something about our school,” Adkins said.

The Florida Supreme Court honored the life of Justice Ben Overton (JD 52) who passed away in Gainesville on Dec. 29, 2012. Overton was a double Gator and served UF Law as an adjunct professor until his passing. Read more about his legacy here.

Chief Justice Ricky Polston spoke about the life of Overton and his contributions to the University of Florida and the court. A proclamation was presented to Dean Robert Jerry in honor of Overton.

Ian Dankelman (2L) argues for the respondent to all seven members of the Florida Supreme Court on Jan. 24 in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center courtroom. He won best oral advocate award in the competition. (Photo by Elise Giordano)

Labarga spoke of the many changes to Florida’s judicial system in which Overton played a major role.

“Overton was a mentor to me. When I became a Supreme Court judge, it was Overton that unveiled my photo in the Lawton Chiles Room and gave a presentation on my behalf.”

The Florida Moot Court Team will hold an information session on Wednesday for 1Ls interested in learning more about the team and the summer tryout process. Students are encouraged to check the daily calendar of events for more information and to visit ufmootcourt.org to learn more about the team.

One of the foremost national moot court teams, the Florida Moot Court Team competes each year at more than a dozen tournaments throughout the country. The team has been a fixture at UF Law since 1909 when the college was founded, but was organized into its current form in 1961.

At that time, the Maguire Appellate Advocacy Competition was sponsored by the Orlando law firm of Maguire, Voorhis & Wells, P.A. The competition is named after Raymer F. Maguire Jr., son of the founder of Maguire, Voorhis & Wells, P.A., managing partner of the firm, and UF Law alumnus. In the summer of 1998, Maguire, Voorhis & Wells, P.A. merged with the law firm of Holland & Knight LLP, which also became a proud sponsor of the competition.

Mary Adkins has been promoted to director of the Legal Writing and Appellate Advocacy Program.

ELULP taking applications for moot court team

The Environmental and Land Use Law Program is now taking applications for participants on the Environmental Moot Court Team for 2012-2013. Environmental Moot Court team tryouts are scheduled for Sept. 7 and Sept. 10. The deadline for applying is Thursday at noon. The dates for the tryouts are: Friday from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and from 11:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 10, from 3:45 to 5 p.m.; The tryouts are scheduled in 15-minute intervals. Contact Lenny Kennedy at lkennedy@law.ufl.edu for details.

The University of Florida sends teams to the National Environmental Moot Court Competition and the International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Students selected to participate in the UF teams have the chance to brief and argue a case, and to compete against teams from around the country in the annual competition.

Throughout the year, ELULP students can participate in summer externships, the Conservation Clinic, the Public Interest Environmental Conference, the Richard E. Nelson Symposium, the Environmental Capstone Colloquium, and the Costa Rica Study Abroad Program.

Criminal Justice Center, Criminal Law Association hosts criminal video-advocacy competition

The Criminal Justice Center and the Criminal Law Association is pleased to host its inaugural criminal video-advocacy competition this fall. The competition solicits submissions by student teams of an original, creative and educational video portrayal of Fourth Amendment issues geared toward a college-student audiences

• Cash prizes will be awarded for first through third places.
• All law students enrolled at the Levin College of Law are eligible to enter.
• Deadline for submissions is Oct. 22. Winners will be announced on Nov. 10.
• The submissions will be evaluated by members of a judging panel; criteria include clarity of thought, well-structured argumentation, creative use of videography and liveliness of expression.

Decisions of the judging panel will be final. Complete rules of the competition are available at the CJC website (www.law.ufl.edu/academics/centers/cjc) or can be obtained from Eva Achero in Room 100, Bruton-Geer Hall.

Restoration of Civil Rights training Sept. 6

The Restoration of Civil Rights (RCR) Project is having a training session on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m. in HOL 285D. The Restoration of Civil Rights Project is a volunteer group based out of the law school that helps members of the community with felony convictions apply to have their civil rights, including the right to vote, restored. The RCR group provides application assistance at workshops held once a month. RCR is a low-commitment way for law students to make a difference in the community. If you plan to attend the training session, add the Restoration of Civil Right project to your TWEN page and sign up for the training session or contact Brandon Campbell at bcampbell@ufl.edu.

‘Women, Work, and Family in the 2012 Presidential Campaign’ roundtable Sept. 19 at UF Law

The Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research and the League of Women Voters of Alachua County will present Sept. 19 a roundtable to discuss “Women, Work and Family in the 2012 Presidential Campaign” at 6:30 p.m. in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom, HOL 180.

This discussion and community event will feature Lynn Leverty, UF Department of Political Science; UF Law Professor Shani King; state Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston; state Sen. Evelynn Lynn, R-Daytona; with moderator Pegeen Hanrahan, former mayor of Gainesville. The panelists will focus on representations of gender and sexuality during this electoral season.

The event is presented with support from the Levin College of Law, the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and Association for Academic Women.