[PAST EVENT] Silver Tongue Advocacy Award & Bushrod Moot Court Tournament Sponsored by the IBRL Student Division

February 13, 2014
4:30pm - 5:30pm
Location
Law School, McGlothlin Courtroom
613 S Henry St
Williamsburg, VA 23185Map this location
The Bushod T. Washington Moot Court Tournament is a competition among William & Mary law students for membership on the Moot Court Team. Competitors take turns arguing a current issue in constitutional law in a mock Supreme Court setting. Past issues have included First Amendment free speech rights in vehicle license plates and Fourth Amendment rights against the search of smartphone data during an arrest. After three weeks of argument, the team will select the competitors who displayed the best mastery of the issues, poise, and persuasive style to join the team for the remainder of their time at William & Mary. These new members will then be eligible to compete in other tournaments throughout the country.

Professors Allison Larsen, Tara Grove, Tim Zick, and Chris Griffin will be judging the Bushrod finals along with Silver Tongue Advocacy award winner, Paul Smith.

The 2014 Silver Tongue award recipient, Paul M. Smith, Partner at Jenner & Block, Chair of the Appellate and Supreme Court Practice and Co-Chair of the Media and First Amendment, and Election Law and Redistricting Practices. He has had an active Supreme Court practice for nearly three decades, including oral arguments in 15 Supreme Court cases involving matters ranging from free speech and civil rights to civil procedure. Among his important victories have been Lawrence v. Texas, the landmark gay rights case, and the recent Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Ass'n, establishing the First Amendment rights of those who produce and sell video games.

About the Award

The Edmund Randolph Silver Tongue Award recognizes outstanding appellate advocacy. The Award is presented annually by the Institute of Bill Rights Law Student Division to a seasoned appellate practitioner who has dedicated his or her career to the improvement and enhancement of the standards of appellate practice, the administration of justice, and the ethics of the legal profession.

The Award was established in 2008 to honor our nation's first Attorney General, Edmund Jennings Randolph. Randolph devoted his career to the improvement and administration of the laws of the United States. Randolph was born on August 10, 1753 in Williamsburg, Virginia. He attended the College of William and Mary and pursued a career in law. Randolph served as Washington's aide-de-camp in 1775. He served as a member in Congress in 1779, and as Governor of Virginia from 1786 to 1788. He was also a delegate to the Annapolis Convention and later to the Constitutional Convention.

Past Recipients
Seth Waxman (2008)
Paul Clement (2009)
Beth Brinkmann (2010)
Edwin S. Kneedler (2011)
Carter G. Phillips (2012)
Walter E. Dellinger III (2013)
Contact

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