IIT Chicago-Kent to defend its championship in the Appellate Lawyers Association National Moot Court Competition

Two teams from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law will compete in the 2012 National Moot Court Competition sponsored by the Appellate Lawyers Association November 2 and 3 in Chicago. Third-year students Max Barack, Ramsin Canon and Amir Missaghi are the members of one team. The second team comprises third-year students Kaitlyn Connelly, Matt Fitterer and Jeff Grimyser.

Team member Max Barack graduated from the University of Michigan, where he majored in art and history. Teammate Ramsin Canon received his bachelor's degree in philosophy, history and English from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Teammate Amir Missaghi earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in applied economics from the University of Minnesota.

Team member Kaitlyn Connelly completed her undergraduate education at the University of Michigan with a degree in business administration. Teammate Matt Fitterer earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Illinois. Teammate Jeff Grimyser graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double major in journalism and English.

The students will argue a hypothetical case that raises Fourth Amendment issues related to advanced technology and the right to privacy. The final round of the two-day competition will be held in the ceremonial court room of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In addition to an award for the winning team, awards will be given for the best brief and best oral advocate.

Last year, IIT Chicago-Kent teams placed first and second and won all five individual awards. The team of Daaron Kimmel '12 and Justin Hagan '12 won the overall competition and first-place award for best brief. Kimmel also won the award for best oral argument. Josiah Jenkins '12 and Whitney Friedman'12 won second place in the overall competition and the second-place award for best brief.

Teams from IIT Chicago-Kent also won the national championship and best brief awards in this tournament in 2007, 2008 and 2009.  In addition, team members won the competition's best oral advocate awards in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010. 

IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law is the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology, a private, Ph.D.-granting institution with programs in engineering, psychology, architecture, business, design and law. IIT Chicago-Kent's Moot Court Honor Society teams have won numerous individual student honors and local, regional and national competitions. In 2008, IIT Chicago-Kent became the first law school to win both the National Trial Competition and the National Moot Court Competition in the same year. In 2009, IIT Chicago-Kent successfully defended its championship in the National Moot Court Competition.

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