Baylor Law Team Wins Texas Admin Law Competition for Fifth Consecutive Year

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It's an 'all-Baylor' affair at this year's finals

It was Baylor Law vs. Baylor Law in the finals of the 13th annual Mack Kidd Administrative Law Moot Court Competition held Oct. 16 at the Austin Third Court of Appeals. The Baylor Law team of Sarah Judge and Jose Magana defeated the Baylor Law team of Joel Towner and James Willis by half a point, which marked the fifth consecutive year a Baylor Law team has won the prestigious competition.

In addition, Magana was named Best Speaker in the final round, and Towner was named Best Speaker from the preliminary rounds.

A third Baylor Law team of Trey Duck and Debran Meyer dropped only two matches in the competition, both to the two other Baylor teams. In all, the three Baylor Law teams finished in the top five. Kathy Serr, adjunct professor and advocacy coordinator, served as Baylor Law's competition coach.

"We definitely knew of the [winning] streak," Judge said. "It was a little reassuring when the other team made the finals because we knew that the trophy would come home no matter what. Kathy really prepared us all, and that is what made us so successful and, of course, great advocacy by Joel and Jose, in particular. I am very proud of everyone's performance, and we all owe Kathy for really pushing us."

The competition is sponsored by the Administrative and Public Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Sixteen teams from six of the state's law schools competed in a double elimination format tournament. This year's case concerned the interpretation of the Texas Lottery Act and specifically provisions dealing with deductions from winnings for delinquent child support.

The preliminary rounds took place at the State Office of Administrative Hearings in Austin. The finals were at the Austin Third Court of Appeals. Judges in the finals were Alan Waldrop, who just recently retired from the Austin Court of Appeals; Darlene Byrne, judge from the 126th District Court of Travis County; and Stephen Yelenosky, judge of the 261st District Court of Travis County.

"Our gifted and hard-working students, our talented and dedicated coaches and our practice-oriented approach to legal education are the reason for our consistent success at this and other interscholastic competitions," said Baylor Law Dean Brad Toben. "Kathy Serr is to be commended for continuing her remarkable run in guiding and coaching our wonderful and bright students."
Media contact: Julie Carlson, Baylor Law School, (254) 710-6681