Students Compete in the Maynard Pirsig Moot Court Honors Tournament

Shayna Korsh '25 and David Lindgren '25 argued before Justice G. Barry Anderson '79, Justice Karl Procaccini, and Justice Gordon Moore of the Minnesota Supreme Court, in the final round of the Maynard Pirsig Moot Court Honors Tournament last week. Korsh won the closely contested argument, with both students receiving tremendous praise for their skills. 

The tournament, named in honor of the former Law School Dean Maynard Pirsig, is the culmination of the Law School’s flagship Moot Court Course - Civil Rights Civil Liberties Moot Court. Students are nominated for the tournament based on their oral advocacy skills in the year-long course. Prior to the final round, the four semi-finalists argued at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. 

The course also holds a “best brief” tournament at the end of the year, with Kayla Gillespie '25 winning best brief, and Arielle Hugel '25 and Grace Sorenson '25 tying for 2nd place. In this year’s case, a group of plaintiffs alleged that a voting restoration statute was unconstitutional because it discriminated on the basis of wealth and was also an illegal poll tax. 

“The tournament is a hallmark of our moot court program," says Professor Randall Ryder '09, director of the Moot Court Program. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to showcase their advocacy skills before sitting appellate judges. And like usual, our students received well-deserved accolades!”