Isabella Burrell ’25 and JP LaBarge ’25 represented Boston College Law in the Northeast regional rounds of the National Moot Court Competition on November 23 and 24 and will be advancing to the finals in January.
BC Law was one of nine teams that attended the competition, including Boston University Law, University of Connecticut Law, Roger Williams Law, Suffolk Law, Syracuse Law, Vermont School of Law, Western New England Law, and Yale Law School.
During the preliminary rounds on Saturday, which were held at Vermont Law, each school argued once for the Petitioner and once for the Respondent. With two wins (against Roger Williams and BU) and no losses, Burrell and LaBarge advanced to the Sunday morning semifinals, where they defeated Western New England and proceeded to the finals for a rematch with BU. Though BU prevailed by 1.2 points, both pairs of finalists will advance to the championships.
“Being a part of the National Moot team has been the ultimate way to enhance my advocacy skills.”
Isabella Burrell ’25
The students had only a month to brief a complicated suit under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This included a half-dozen claims from a family against a hotel and amusement park operation, alleging that violations arose from the company’s website and its criteria for admitting people to rides, including physical requirements (e.g., height, two hands, etc.). The complex record presented a host of legal issues that have bedeviled the circuit courts and would require ultimate resolution by the Supreme Court.
The team made four arguments in just two days on both sides of the case in front of panels of experienced appellate practitioners, a United States magistrate, a judge of the Vermont Superior Court, justices of the Vermont Supreme Court, and judges from the first and second circuits.
Burrell and LaBarge won Best Brief in the region during the event and will be advancing to the National Championship rounds held in New York City in January to compete against the first- and second-place schools from other regions of the US.
“Being a part of the National Moot team has been the ultimate way to enhance my advocacy skills and learn from some of the best professionals in the field,” said Burrell. “I couldn’t have asked for a better law school experience.”