Chicago-Kent Advances to the National Finals of NBLSA’s 2020 Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition

The Chicago-Kent College of Law team of Bryant Roby ’20 and Alexandra Rogers ’21 will advance to the national finals of the 2020 Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition, sponsored by the National Black Law Student Association (NBLSA). The team placed third in the Midwest regional tournament, held February 5 to 7 in Indianapolis. 

“Bryant and Alex’s hard work paid off in polished, sophisticated arguments, and it was a pleasure to help them prepare for regionals,” says Cherish Keller, interim director of the Ilana Diamond Rovner Program in Appellate Advocacy. “Bryant, a seasoned advocate and our Moot Court Honor Society president, brought his trademark highly engaging style, and Alex, for whom this was her first interschool moot court competition, found her stride and shone as an appellate advocate.”

Roby and Rogers prevailed against UIC John Marshall Law School in the quarterfinals and lost to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in the semifinals, before securing their spot at nationals by defeating University of Missouri School of Law in the final-day round to determine the third- and fourth-place teams. 

Chicago-Kent—along with first- and second-place teams—will compete against the top three teams from each of five other regions at the national tournament that will be held in early March at the NBLSA National Convention in Cincinnati.

This year students argued a hypothetical case involving questions of whether prohibiting undocumented immigrants from possessing a firearm violates the Second Amendment and whether an attorney practicing with dementia rises to the level of ineffective assistance of counsel.

Roby earned his master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, and his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Rogers graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science and international relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

The team was coached by Keller with help from Moot Court Honor Society members Alex Atkins ’20, Eva Dickey ’20, Adrienne Finucane ’21, and Ben Votava ’21.

The Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition was created to provide NBLSA members with an opportunity to enhance their brief writing and advocacy skills. NBLSA is dedicated to providing minority law students with the skills necessary to succeed in the legal profession.