Duquesne Kline School of Law’s Appellate Moot Court Team Advances to International Competition

Olivia Brophy, 2L, was named the #1 Best Jessup Advocate in the United States. Brophy and her teammates, Darren McKenzie, 3L, and Collin Ishimaru, 2L, advanced to the International Rounds of the Jessup Competition, marking the first time a Duquesne Kline School of Law team has advanced to the international stage of the Jessup Competition.

The Jessup International Rounds will be held in Washington, DC, during the week of March 28. This Duquesne Kline School of Law team will be one of only 15 teams (out of the 91 U.S. teams that competed) to represent the United States of America at the competition. Advancing to the International Rounds was particularly competitive this year, as the United States held a single national qualifying round for the first time in 50 years, instead of the two traditional regional competitions. 

Additionally, the team received an award for the fifth Best Memorial in the nation out of 91 teams, outperforming many of the country’s most elite law schools. Unlike most moot court competitions where teams write a brief for only one side, the Jessup Competition requires teams to prepare written memorials for both the applicant and the respondent. The team’s combined score across both memorials earned them this national recognition. 

Brophy’s recognition also marked a historic milestone. She was named the King & Spaulding United States National Round Best Advocate, ranking #1 out of more than 360 advocates nationwide. In prior years, there were two best advocates from the United States – making Brophy the first #1 Best Advocate in the United States of America. 

The team received other individual awards as well, with McKenzie finishing as the 25th Best Advocate in the nation. 

The Jessup Competition is the world’s largest and most prestigious international law moot court competition, bringing together top law students from over 700 law schools in 100 countries to argue complex issues of international law. The competition is a simulation of a dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice.  

Adjunct Professor Amy Kerlin, L’18, and Brian Davis, L’25, coached and traveled with the team. The team was also supported by advisors Sam Nolan, L’20, Reilly Wagner, L’25, and Adjunct Professor Erin Karsman, director of the Appellate Moot Court Board program. 

The team’s success reflects the continued strength and growing national recognition of Duquesne Kline School of Law’s Appellate Moot Court Program.