RALEIGH – Campbell Law School sent two teams of advocates to the New York City Bar National Moot Court Regional Competition in Richmond, Virginia, over the weekend, one of which brought home a trophy and the best oralist award.
Both teams made it to the quarter-finals resulting in a Campbell vs. Campbell round. The first team – Jessica Griffin ‘26, Christian Ray ‘26 and Justin Booker ‘26 with Coach Justin Lockett ‘22 — faced the second team – Robert Massey ‘26 and Shannon Conrad ‘26 with Coach Morgan Pierce ‘18 — with the first team eventually advancing to the semi-finals.
Robert Massey ’26 (left) and Shannon Conrad ’26
The end result? Campbell Law advocates Griffin, Ray and Booker are the NYC National Moot Court Regional Champions. And Griffin was also awarded Best Oralist. The team and their coach will head to the national competition in New York City on Jan. 28-30, 2026.
“Congratulations to both teams and their coaches,” said the law school’s Director of Competitive Advocacy Rene Shekmer. “They definitely earned it.”
The National Moot Court Competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious moot court competitions in the United States. Co-sponsored by the New York City Bar Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers, the competition includes up to 191 teams from 124 law schools, who compete in regional competitions in November with the top two in each region advancing to the national competition held in the landmark House of the New York City Bar Association in January/February.
The National Moot Court Competition was created in 1947 by Harrison Tweed, then president of the New York City Bar Association, as part of a campaign to recruit younger members to the City Bar in the years following World War II.
The first competition was held at the City Bar’s building in January 1950. Twelve law school teams debated the legality of “rainmaking,” or the use by farmers of rainmaking devices to divert water from adjacent land. The program was formatted as a mock appeal, in order to develop the skills of appellate advocacy among law students, according to the website.
In the years since, the moot court competition has expanded to include competitions in 15 regions throughout the continental United States.
The cases argued traditionally focus on a timely issue arising under the United States Constitution, in keeping with the competition’s original theme of appellate advocacy. The final national competition continues to be held in New York, and the final argument between the top two teams is judged by a seven-person mock court, including prominent jurists, the president of the New York City Bar Association and the president of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Learn more at this link.
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL
Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law School has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 5,000 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2026, Campbell Law will celebrate 50 years of graduating legal leaders and 17 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.