NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 2, 2009

CONTACT: KATIE GALLAGHER
517/432-6848, galla145@law.msu.edu

MSU Law Advances to Quarterfinals of National Moot Court Competition in Constitutional Law

East Lansing, MI — Michigan State University College of Law first-year students Melissa Forshey, David Meyer, Elinor Jordan, and Salina Maxwell made up two of 27 teams that participated in the western regional American Constitution Society (ACS) Constance Baker Motley Moot Court Competition in Constitutional Law this week at the University of Michigan.

Each year the competition addresses a pertinent issue in constitutional law. In acknowledgement of the recent debate concerning warrantless wiretapping conducted by the federal government, the 2009 Moot Court legal issue at hand entailed questions regarding the capability of U.S. citizens to invoke jurisdiction of the federal courts to challenge these surveillance activities.

The MSU Law team of Jordan and Maxwell advanced to the quarterfinal round, impressing their opponents from Duke, Michigan, Boston College, UC-Berkeley, and UC-Santa Clara, and drawing praise from the judges, twice achieving an individual perfect score.

"The teams benefitted from help provided by professors, other students, the ACS chapter, and the journals," Doug Koenig, second-year student and treasurer of the MSU Chapter of ACS, says. "Their achievements highlight the diverse and cooperative nature of the College of Law and speaks to the unique environment we all enjoy."

The winning team from each regional competition, including Concord Law School, who won the western regional, will compete in the Constance Baker Motley National Moot Court Competition in Constitutional Law Final Round this summer at the ACS 2009 National Convention in Washington, D.C.

ACS promotes the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses: individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, access to justice, democracy and the rule of law. These abiding principles are reflected in the vision of the Constitution's framers and the wisdom of forward-looking leaders who have shaped our law throughout American history.

MSU College of Law was in founded in 1891 as the Detroit College of Law and was devoted exclusively to professional education in law. The Law College is one of only a few private law schools to be affiliated with a research university, enabling it to provide a comprehensive interdisciplinary legal education program. Classes offered in its state-of-the-art facilities provide students the benefits of a Big Ten campus while maintaining a small school culture. For more information about the Law College, visit www.law.msu.edu.

###

320B Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
www.law.msu.edu