The University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law’s moot court program finished No. 13 in the nation for the 2025 fall semester, according to rankings published by the Blakely Advocacy Institute at the University of Houston Law Center. Among the 18 American Bar Association-approved schools in California, McGeorge finished third.

McGeorge’s moot court program is consistently ranked among the top 15 in the nation year-after-year, a testament to the strength of the school’s advocacy training.

Professor Ed Telfeyan, co-director of the Eglet Center for Advocacy & Dispute Resolution, noted that the program’s success is also driven by faculty and a strong network of moot court alumni who return to mentor the next generation. Many alumni devote countless hours outside their busy legal careers to coach students, passing down the same training and advocacy skills they received during their own time on moot teams.

"McGeorge’s moot court program is regularly recognized as one of the nation’s top moot court programs, reflecting both its excellence and the exceptional quality of our students. I am proud of our students for their dedication and achievements this year,” Telfeyan said.

Moot court is a program that simulates appellate court proceedings with participants arguing for either the petitioner or respondent before a panel of judges. 

Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition

Natalie Parker ’26 earned Best Oralist honors among 75 competitors at the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition, which was held Nov. 13-15. Parker competed alongside teammates Jewel Unga ‘25, Meghna Kini ‘26 and Carson Smith ‘26. The competition tests students’ written and oral advocacy, critical thinking and legal reasoning skills.

The teams were coached by Professor Dan Croxall ‘08, Visiting Professor Paige Davidson ‘19, David Witkin ‘20, Maricar Pascual ‘16, and student coach Andrew Clary ‘26. Grace Telford ‘27 and Monique Magdaleno ‘28 served as research assistants for the teams.

Parker previously received the Top Oral Advocate Award in the 2024 Global Lawyering Skills Top Oral Advocate Competition at McGeorge — a competition for first-year law students that simulates litigation experience. Students work with a single case preparing and arguing a motion in the trial court through the appeals process following a judgment.

Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition

Courtney Yamagiwa '26, Rebekah Mar '26, and Stephanie Timofeyeva '25 received second place out of 42 teams and the Best Petitioner's Brief Award at the Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition at Elon University School of Law in North Carolina in October. The Elon competition tackled a free speech issue and alleged violations of First Amendment rights.

A second team of McGeorge students consisting of Krista Simpson ‘26, Sarah Navarro ‘26 and Malea Parcasio-Eshelman ‘26 made it to the octofinal round of the competition.

The teams were coached by Professor Erin O’Neal, Amanda Stone ‘24, Jasmine Osmany ‘26 and Joseph Anderson ‘26. Kamra Jackson ‘27 and Carleigh Kude ‘28 served as research assistants for the teams.