At the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, an award-winning moot court program tests students’ written and oral advocacy skills in competitions arguing fictional cases.

Pacific Regent Robert Eglet ’88, his wife Tracy Eglet and fellow McGeorge alumna Sandra Otellini ’77 have created multiple endowments supporting the moot court team. In 2021, the Eglets made a historic $25 million gift to McGeorge School of Law’s Eglet Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution followed by a $5 million gift in 2025 to further strengthen the program.

These endowments benefit students like Meghna Kini ‘26, who credits moot court with helping her successfully navigate a judicial externship last fall with Hon. Kenneth Mennemeier of the Sacramento County Superior Court.

“I watched Judge Mennemeier question opposing counsel the same way we would in moot court,” she said. “In hearings, you really need to know your cases well because the judge will question you—it’s great to practice that in competition.”

McGeorge’s moot program finished the 2023-24 school year ranked No. 9 in the nation by the Blakely Advocacy Institute at the University of Houston Law Center.

Kini competed as part of a team of McGeorge students in the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition in November 2025.

Kini also serves as co-team lead for McGeorge’s Bankruptcy Clinic, representing local debtors in bankruptcy proceedings under attorney supervision. In addition to the Bankruptcy Clinic, McGeorge operates six other legal clinics in Sacramento, including the Bankruptcy Clinic, Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic, Elder and Health Law Clinic, Federal Defender Clinic, Immigration Law Clinic, Legislative and Public Policy Clinic, and Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic.

Kini’s involvement in the Bankruptcy Clinic is supported by the Hon. Loren Dahl Endowed Award, which recognizes her outstanding achievements in the clinic and in business law courses. The award honors Judge Loren Dahl, a 1942 University of the Pacific graduate and former university Regent.

“The Bankruptcy Clinic offers invaluable hands-on experience working directly with clients. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how grateful they are for the Clinic’s support in helping them get back on their feet,” Kini said.

Kini serves as a primary managing editor for Volume 57 of the University of the Pacific Law Review. The student-run, scholarly journal publishes quarterly issues featuring articles from members of the bench and bar, in-depth legal analyses of emerging transnational topics, student-authored commentaries, and reviews of newly enacted California legislation.

“Working with such a dedicated and insightful group of law review editors has been an invaluable experience. It’s helped me grow as a law student and better understand how collaboration shapes meaningful legal scholarship,” Kini said.

Kini said the financial support she’s received from McGeorge alumni and donors has made a profound difference in her legal education.

“It means the world to me that alumni and friends love McGeorge enough to give back, that they value legal education enough to invest in future lawyers like me,” she said. “McGeorge has impacted their lives so much that now, they're impacting mine, and I get to explore everything I want to do because of it. That's something I'm eternally thankful for.”