Fordham Law takes top spot at prestigious city bar competition

December 2, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Left to right: Justice Rosalyn Richter, Justice Anar Rathod Patel, Emily Stubblefield (Fordham), Annika Jorgensen (Fordham), Matthew Salavitch (Fordham) and Karen Milton Esq. Photo: Stephanie Glazer/NYC Bar Association

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Fordham University School of Law took first place in the regional rounds of the 75th National Moot Court Competition, held Nov. 20-21 at the New York City Bar Association in Manhattan. The winning team included law students Annika Jorgensen, Emily Stubblefield and Matthew Salavitch, coached by Abigail Conroy.

New York University Law School finished second, with team members Patience Adegboyega and Morgan Hale. Both teams will move on to the final rounds, taking place Jan. 29-31, 2025, where 29 teams from across the country will compete.

Fordham also won the Best Brief award, while the Runner-up Brief honor went to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Emily Stubblefield of Fordham was named Best Oralist, with Morgan Hale of NYU receiving runner-up recognition.

This year’s competition focused on legal issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Article III standing. Students debated whether a family of disabled individuals could sue an all-inclusive resort over its website’s accessibility and whether the resort’s amusement park rider requirements met ADA standards.

The event was co-sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the National Moot Court Competition Committee of the New York City Bar Association, chaired by Heidi Goldsmith and Sabrina Smith. Final-round judges included Justice Rosalyn Richter and Justice Anar Rathod Patel.