[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 49 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S3603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MOOT COURT VICTORY

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the 
Loyola University, New Orleans Law School's Moot Court team for their 
performance in the American University Burton D. Wechsler First 
Amendment Competition. The competition is designed to showcase the 
dedication and talent of law school students from across the country, 
and the Loyola students displayed a great deal of both in their 
victorious efforts.
  Moot Court Competitions are an opportunity for law school students to 
demonstrate their talents as advocates in an appellate court setting. 
They tackle a difficult legal problem in a written brief and then are 
subject to the grueling ordeal of probing and questioning by a panel of 
appellate court judges. The Burton Wechsler First Amendment Competition 
asked competitors to argue the complex question of the use of languages 
other than English while conducting government business. I am proud to 
say that our team from Loyola University took this challenge and used 
it as an opportunity to excel.
  The team of Steven Griffith, Gaven Dall Kammer, Christopher Alfieri, 
Elisia Shofstahl, and faculty advisor, Prof, Mitch Crusto, took overall 
first place honors in the competition. Loyola defeated five highly-
regarded opponents on their way to the title. Other honors garnered by 
the Loyola team included first place ``Best Brief'' and the ``Runner-Up 
Best Oralist'' award, won by Elisia Shofstahl. Loyola's fine 
performance in this prestigious national competition represents the 
very best in effort and education.
  The team's impressive victory is a testament to the hard work and 
inherent skill of Loyola's fine law students. Such effort and success 
is worthy of our admiration and praise. Again, I congratulate the 
members of Loyola's Moot Court Team on their victory at American 
University's First Amendment Competition, and wish them the best of 
luck in their future competitions and careers.

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