For the second consecutive year, FIU Law’s appellate advocacy program held its Intramural Appellate Advocacy Final Round Oral Argument on November 3, 2016 before the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee, Florida.
After advancing through four rounds of competition, the two teams of finalists argued before the seven justices of the state’s highest court and delivered exceptional arguments. Dane Stuhlsatz and Daniel Fors were named Champions, and Gabriel Miranda and Austin Murray were named Runners-Up. Mr. Murray also received Best Orator-Final Round honors from the Court.
“Arguing in front of the Florida Supreme Court was an amazing experience that will not be matched for a very long time,” said Mr. Stuhlsatz, who was also named Best Orator – Preliminary Rounds. “It was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, experiences of my law school career thus far. The intensity of the Justices’ engagement with our arguments made me feel, for the first time, like a real lawyer, and reconfirmed exactly why I came to FIU Law in the first place.”
The finalists advanced from the Semi-Final Rounds, held October 26, 2016 at FIU Law, and spent a week “mooting” their arguments before multiple panels of students, professors, and attorneys to prepare for their argument.
As Professor David Walter, Faculty Advisor to FIU Law’s Board of Advocates, noted, “Our four advocates earned their place in the Final Round with their outstanding briefs and superb oral arguments in the earlier rounds, and they demonstrated strong work ethic and dedication throughout the Competition. They showed incredible skill and poise during their Final Round arguments before the seven Florida Supreme Court justices, fielding, on average, one to two questions per minute from the justices.”
The 2016 Intramural Appellate Advocacy/Moot Court Competition ran from August 15th through November 3rd, and showcased a number of outstanding student advocates. A full list of competition honors is below.
Champions:
Dane Stuhlsatz and Daniel Fors
Runners-Up:
Gabriel Miranda and Austin Murray
Semi-Finalists:
Cori Varsallone and Yunet Soto
Diana Rafael and Vincent (Alex) Nunchuck
Quarterfinalists:
Selena Villadiego and Aksana Zahorskaya
Anigladys Mesa and Niurys Robaina
Sarah Renfer and Caitlin Palmer
Yosef Kudan and Ana Cuello
Best Petitioner Brief: Dane Stuhlsatz and Daniel Fors
Best Respondent Brief: Sarah Renfer and Caitlin Palmer
Runner-Up Best Petitioner Brief: Yosef Kudan and Ana Cuello
Runner-Up Best Respondent Brief: Tahimi Rengifo and Daniel Merino
Second Runner-Up Best Petitioner Brief: Gabriel Miranda and Austin Murray
Second Runner-Up Best Respondent Brief: Christian Bonta and Alex Barnett
Third Runner-Up Best Petitioner Brief: Selena Villadiego and Aksana Zahorskaya
Third Runner-Up Best Respondent Brief: Cori Varsallone and Yunet Soto
Best Orator-Final Round: Austin Murray
Best Orators for Preliminary Rounds
Best Orator: Dane Stuhlsatz
Runner-Up Best Orator: Jonathan Weiner
Second Runner-Up Best Orator: Ana Cuello
Third Runner-Up Best Orator: Vincent (Alex) Nunchuck
Fourth Runner-Up Best Orator: Josefine Blick