Moot Court Team Takes Second Place in the 19th Annual Williams Institute Moot Court Competition
April 30, 2025
This year, the School of Law’s Williams Institute moot court teams advanced to the final round of the 19th Annual Williams Institute Moot Court Competition. The School sent two teams to compete. Team 24 included Kate Leung, Stella Leitner, and Vanessa Springer, and Team 31 included Kieran Raney, Katie Beasley, and Celia Lee. They were among 32 teams from law schools across the country.
All 32 teams traveled to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law for the competition, where each team was guaranteed two preliminary oral arguments. After the preliminary rounds, Team 24 advanced to the quarterfinals where they argued against the University of Minnesota, and then to the semifinals where they argued against UCLA. The team was then invited back to the final round against Michigan State University.
The final round coincided with the Williams Institute’s annual conference and fundraising gala. The round was a featured session of the CLE portion of the conference and took place before a panel of three judges.
The problem centered on the legality of a school librarian’s termination after he posted a TikTok video identifying himself as asexual and expressing opposition to the school’s recent ban on books related to sexual orientation. The teams addressed two key legal issues: whether asexuality qualifies as a protected class under Title VII, and whether the firing violated the employee’s First Amendment right to free speech. Team 24 represented the Respondent—the school district—by submitting a brief and arguing its position in three rounds. The team also represented the Petitioner—the employee—in two rounds, including the final round.
After delivering compelling arguments, the competition judges awarded Team 24—Leung, Leitner, and Springer—second place, and Leitner earned the Best Oral Advocate Award for the entire event.
Leitner shared, “I signed up for the Williams Institute Moot Court Competition because the idea of delivering an oral argument in any setting—let alone at a national competition—terrified me. But thanks to the people involved, moot court couldn’t have been a better experience. Our coaches, Professors England and Bach, were beyond supportive. The local judges and attorneys who “mooted” us during practices challenged and encouraged us. I’m especially grateful for my teammates, who approached the competition with enthusiasm, intellect, and a great sense of humor. As it turns out, I enjoy giving oral arguments—a lot. I’m hoping to do more oral advocacy in the future!”
Also reflecting on the event, School of Law Professor and moot court coach Scott England said, “The team was just fantastic. After the semifinal round, one of the organizers pulled me aside to tell me that he was completely blown away by the quality of the team’s advocacy. He predicted that the performance was one that members of the Williams Institute would be talking about for years to come. Several judges also commented that the arguments were among the best that they have ever seen.”
Professor England continued, “This experience was also particularly meaningful for me because this is my last semester teaching at the University of New Mexico. This has been one of the highlights of my entire teaching career. These students are a good example of what makes the UNM School of Law so special. They are bright, enthusiastic, and just fundamentally good people. They are all going to be amazing attorneys, and I am excited to see what they do in the years to come.”
