Angela Wetzsteon, Summer Nelson, Sabrina Hansen, Katie Ranta, Samantha Preston, and Erica Grinde

For the tenth year in a row, a team from The University of Montana School of Law is advancing to the final rounds of the National Moot Court Competition, which will be held in late January in New York City. The UM team of Erica Grinde, Sabrina Hansen, and Angela Wetzsteon will join 27 other teams at the national competition after finishing second in the Northwest regional competition that was held November 16 and 17 at Seattle University. The region includes teams from law schools in Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Overall, teams from approximately 150 law schools compete each year in the nation’s oldest and most prestigious appellate advocacy competition, sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the New York City Bar Association.

The second UM team of Summer Nelson, Samantha Preston, and Katie Ranta also performed well. They advanced to the quarterfinal round, where they lost to a team from Lewis and Clark. Summer Nelson was named the region’s top oralist.

Montana’s 10-year streak of advancing to the national finals is by far the longest of any law school in the country. During that time, UM teams have finished first in the region five times, and have won the award for the region’s top appellate brief five times. UM has won the national championship twice, most recently in 2000.

The Moot Court teams are coached by Professors Larry Howell and Andrew King-Ries.