As of last July 1, professor Mary-Beth Moylan at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law became the inaugural Associate Dean for Advocacy. In this role, Moylan oversees and coordinates McGeorge’s Mock Trial, Moot Court, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and Client Interviewing and Counseling programs and Competition Teams.

Moylan previously served as director of the law school’s Global Lawyering Skills Program, as Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, and as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

"I want to make sure that other schools and people in the Sacramento community know what a strong place McGeorge is for advocacy," Moylan said. "One of the ways I'm working to achieve that goal is by hosting a number of competitions. It's a big deal that we're going to be hosting three competitions in each of the main advocacy disciplines this academic year."

In October, McGeorge hosted a regional round of the American Bar Association Negotiations Competition and will be hosting the 18^th Annual National Ethics Trial Competition in February. In April, McGeorge will host the first in-person Roger J.  Traynor California Moot Court Competition since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Probably the single greatest challenge in hosting a competition is getting enough attorneys and judges in the local community to come in and help you. The competition does not work without them," Moylan said. "We've reached out to our alumni and have gotten a great response. It's an opportunity for alumni to come back to campus, see the good things that are happening here, and see the strong advocacy program we continue to have."

First-year law students can participate in the 1L Moot Court competition and the Ben Franz Mock Trial competition in the spring. Upper division students can try out for spots on the Mock Trial, Moot Court, Negotiation/Mediation, and Client Interviewing and Counseling Teams. 

In addition to competition teams, there are numerous opportunities for all students to participate in advocacy-related courses and programs through registered student organizations. In her new role, Moylan is also reviewing the advocacy course curriculum and directing the Advocacy concentration. 

McGeorge’s moot court program finished No. 13 in the nation for the 2025 fall semester, according to rankings published by the Blakely Advocacy Institute. 

In 2026, the Trial Advocacy program ranked No. 16 in the nation for the second consecutive year, and the Dispute Resolution program ranked No. 24, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The 2026 spring issue of preLaw Magazine awarded the Eglet Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution an “A” for Alternative Dispute Resolution, placing the program among the top 10 nationally. The Eglet Center is named after McGeorge alumnus and Pacific Regent Robert T. Eglet ’88 and his law partner and wife, Tracy A. Eglet.

"In the past, there has been great strength in individual aspects of advocacy. By taking on this role as Associate Dean for Advocacy, I want to make sure that everyone in any of the advocacy programs feels like they are a part of one big successful team of McGeorge advocates," Moylan said.  

Moylan teaches courses on Civil Procedure, Elections and Initiatives, Rule of Law, Lawyering Skills, and Professional Ethics. Moylan is the co-author of Legal Writing and Global Lawyering Skills (2023), now in its third edition. Her most recent article is Defense Against the Dark Arts: A Call for Education About the Rule of Law and Democratic Institutions (2026), published in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics.