The University of Akron School of Law’s moot court team finished as the national finalist at the American Bar Association's (ABA) National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC), held April 11 in Chicago, Ill. The result is the latest demonstration of Akron Law's Moot Court program, of its ongoing excellence in advocacy competition.

The NAAC is one of the most prestigious interscholastic moot court competitions in the U.S., drawing 192 teams from law schools across the country to compete in simulated appellate oral arguments before panels of distinguished judges and practitioners.

This year's Akron Law team of Mitchell Crawford, Anna Zumbar and Shayela Harmon, all third-year law students, delivered exceptional performances throughout the competition. During the competition, the team triumphed over powerhouse moot court programs from Yale Law School, Notre Dame Law School, UC Berkeley School of Law, and Washington University School of Law — programs consistently ranked among the best in the country.

The UA team's excellence extended beyond the courtroom. Akron Law earned the second-best brief award for its written advocacy, demonstrating mastery of appellate argumentation on the page as well as before the bench. Individually, Crawford was honored with the third-best advocate award, and Zumbar received the eighth-best advocate award, recognizing their outstanding oral advocacy skills among competitors from law schools nationwide.

The team was coached by Kristo Pantelides ‘22 and Megan Parker ‘23, who bring a depth of personal experience to their mentorship roles. Both coaches themselves finished as national semifinalists at this same ABA competition in 2021. Their firsthand knowledge of the competition's demands proved instrumental in preparing the team to compete at the highest level.

"Having the opportunity to watch Anna and Mitchell grow into amazing advocates during the past two years, and seeing Shayela’s amazing research and writing skills on the team this year, has been incredible,” Parker said. “Moot court was one of the most fulfilling experiences I had in law school, and I love being able to help students have the same experience I did."

“It’s such a privilege to see the legal excellence demonstrated by Mitchell, Anna, and Shayela throughout this competition," Pantelides said. "Their tireless efforts and perseverance, combined with their writing and oral advocacy prowess, is a boon to Akron Law’s intramural program and a clear sign that Akron Law’s future continues to look bright.”

Akron Law’s moot court program is sponsored by Kisling, Nestico, & Redick, LLC. This year’s team is supported by Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP.

Media contact: media@uakron.edu