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Grimes Competition a Close One

At the 67th annual, Allison Carvalho and Bella Burrell took home the top prize.

       
Front row, Adam Siegel, Allison Carvalho, Emma Abrams, and Bella Burrell; top row, Jordan McGuffee, Judge Paul Barbadoro, Judge Lara Montecalvo, Josh Procario-Foley, and Judge Jeffrey Howard 

The 64th Annual Wendell F. Grimes Moot Court Competition took place at BC Law on April 24. Team Cavatelli’s Allison Carvalho and Bella Burrell emerged victorious in a tightly contested final round, representing the respondents. Close behind were Emma Abrams and Adam Siegel, for the petitioner, of Team Tortellini.

Carvalho also clinched the Top Oralist title in the final round. The Top Oralists from the semester’s earlier rounds were 2Ls Burrell, Siegel, Andrea Traietti, and Carolyn Zaccaro.

The finalists poured months of preparation into the event, drafting lengthy briefs and participating in seven rounds of oral arguments. Both teams demonstrated exceptional advocacy and top-tier briefs, according to comments from the distinguished panel of judges, who queried the contestants closely during their presentations and afterward expressed admiration for their efforts.

The bench was The Honorable Paul J. Barbadoro ’80 of the District Court of New Hampshire, The Honorable Jeffrey R. Howard of the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and The Honorable Lara E. Montecalvo ’00, also of the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.  

The competition was organized by Grimes co-chairs Josh Procario-Foley ’24 and Jordan McGuffee ’24, the reigning champions of last year’s competition. They also worked in collaboration with Rosemary Daly ’87, the director of advocacy programs.