Two IIT Chicago-Kent teams reach the Appellate Lawyers Association's 2014 National Moot Court Competition's final four

David Repking receives best oral advocate award and ALA scholarship

Two teams from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law reached the semifinal round of the 2014 National Moot Court Competition sponsored by the Appellate Lawyers Association (ALA) November 7 and 8 in Chicago. David Repking '15, who earned individual honors as the tournament's best oral advocate, received a trophy and scholarship from the ALA.

The students argued an espionage case that raised issues of criminal procedure and evidence law. At issue was whether admission of a defendant's silence and statements made while questioned in his home violated his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, and whether the trial court properly allowed an FBI investigator to offer lay opinion testimony.

Paulina Lopez Caballero, Melody Gaal and Hannah Tuber competed on one team. They competed against Western State College of Law in the semifinal round. The other team, which comprised third-year students John Chambers, Vincenzo Chimera and David Repking, argued against the Loyola University Chicago School of Law team that eventually won the tournament in the second round.

"Our students did an exceptional job preparing for this competition. Both teams drew strong praise from panels that consisted entirely of experienced appellate practitioners and judges," said IIT Chicago-Kent Professor Kent D. Streseman, director of the Ilana Diamond Rovner Program in Appellate Advocacy.

Team member Paulina Lopez Caballero is an advanced-standing student who earned her law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. Teammate Melody Gaal is a third-year student who received a bachelor of science degree in biology with a minor in law and society from the University of California, San Diego. Teammate Hannah Tuber, also a third-year student, graduated cum laude with a degree in acting from the Theatre School at DePaul University.

Team member John Chambers graduated from Harvard University with a degree in government. Teammate Vincenzo Chimera graduated from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with a major in political science. Teammate David Repking earned a bachelor of music in violin performance at Vanderbilt University and a master of music in violin performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

In 2011, IIT Chicago-Kent teams placed first and second in this competition and won 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 won the ALA championship and best brief award five times. In addition, team members won the competition's best oral advocate award in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012.

Founded in 1888, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law is the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois Tech, a private, technology-focused, research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, science, architecture, business, design, human sciences, applied technology, and law.

Teams in IIT Chicago-Kent's Ilana Diamond Rovner Program in Appellate Advocacy have won numerous individual student honors and 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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