Northwestern Pritzker Law Wins Big at ABA Annual First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition

In January, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law students participated in the American Bar Association’s 14th Annual First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition. Michael Choi (JD-MBA ’23) and Rohun Reddy (JD-MBA ’23) won Best Brief overall in the competition, one of the top three prizes of the day.

The annual competition is designed primarily to introduce minority law students to the practice of media law and to lawyers active in the communications law bar. The competition offers cash prizes for superior performance in appellate briefing and oral argument. The hypothetical case at the center of the competition involved timely issues of national significance in the areas affecting communications law. Briefs were judged blindly by a panel of experienced media-law practitioners. Choi and Reddy wrote the highest-scoring brief and each team member received $1,000.

Held via video conference, the Moot Court finals were conducted by three distinguished jurists: Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals; Justice Carla Wong McMillian, Georgia Supreme Court; and Judge L. Felipe Restrepo, Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

“This award means a lot to me because it is proof that the experts in the field have recognized the hard work that Rohun and I put into understanding the complex sphere of First Amendment and media law and structuring our legal arguments in a persuasive manner,” Choi said. “I am also interested in eventually pursuing a career in media and entertainment law, so this unique moot court experience was an important stepping stone towards my long-term aspirations as an attorney.”

Reddy added: “The First Amendment and media law moot court provided me an opportunity to hone my advocacy skills in an area of law that I am deeply passionate about,” he said. “I learned so much from my mentor-coach, the other competitors, and our highly accomplished judges, and I am so grateful for the connections I made throughout the process. [It] has definitely been one of my favorite law school experiences!”

Their mentor, Leita Walker, is a litigator and trial lawyer at Ballard Spahr’s Media and Entertainment Law Group.

Other winners of the competition included Amanda N. Marino, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who won best oralist; and Alexandria Faura and Charles Lam, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, who were awarded the winning team.

To watch the final round of the competition, click here.