RALEIGH – A Campbell Law School moot court team has won the award “Best Respondent’s Brief” at the 2025 National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition (NVLMCC) in Washington, D.C., over the weekend of Nov. 8-9.
Darren Stephens ‘26 and Alexandra Rye ‘27 finished as quarterfinalists in the competition that featured 27 teams from 21 law schools. They were proudly coached by Patrick Wilson and Kirk Warner, said Rene Shekmer, director of the law school’s Competitive Advocacy Program.
“The team’s flight to Washington was cancelled by Delta just four hours before they were supposed to leave on Thursday evening,” Shekmer explained. “Coach Wilson switched to a rental car and drove to Washington, D.C., so that they could still compete. One team from the University of Wyoming did not make the competition due to a cancelled flight. Thankfully, Darren and Alexandra made it and represented Campbell Law so well.
“A huge thank you to Coaches Kirk Warner and Patrick Wilson for the time and experience they put into guiding this winning team.”
The competition was held at The George Washington University Law School and Sunday rounds (Semi-finals and Finals) at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
In addition to Campbell, law schools competing included:
• American University Washington College of Law
• Baylor Law School
• Brooklyn Law School
• Chapman University, Fowler School of Law
• Detroit Mercy Law
• George Washington University Law School
• Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law
• Marquette University Law School
• Pepperdine University
• SMU Dedman School of Law
• South Texas College of Law Houston
• Stetson University College of Law
• Syracuse University College of Law
• Temple Law School
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law
• University of Illinois Champaign Urbana
• University of Missouri School of Law
• University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
• University of Richmond
• Vermont Law School
First organized in 2009, the NVLMCC is sponsored annually by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association and the George Washington University Law School (GW Law). The NVLMCC is the nation’s premier moot court focusing on veterans law. Hosted close to Veterans Day each fall in the nation’s Capital, the NVLMCC brings together teams of two students from around the country to argue cutting-edge veterans law issues before panels of distinguished practitioners and judges.
The NVLMCC prides itself on the authenticity of the problems and the quality of its judges. The record on appeal and the documents included look like what would be found in a real veterans law case. The judges for the briefs and the oral arguments are drawn from the ranks of experienced veterans law practitioners. In particular, the final round of each NVLMCC is typically presided over by a panel of judges from the CAVC in their courtroom. Few moot court competitions can boast an experience that is so true to actual practice. We hope you will consider participating.
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.