John Marshall students brought home major wins in Moot Court and Trial Advocacy competitions this past semester.
John Marshall was named national champion at the National Animal Law Competition (NALC) March 1, 2015. John Marshall took first place in the Advocacy Closing Argument Competition of the 12th NALC held at Harvard Law School.
Second-year law student Adam Bolotin took the top prize in the closing argument contest. Upon awarding the first-place plaque, the competition’s spokesperson noted how John Marshall has “dominated the Closing Argument Competition” at Harvard.
John Marshall Trial Advocacy teams have made a name for themselves at the NALC. Since 2008, John Marshall has either won or placed in the finals at the competition every year except one. The competition is presented by the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School, in collaboration with the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
John Marshall Moot Court students also won second place at the national Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C., after taking first place at the Midwest regional portion of the Lefkowitz competition in February.
Third-year law students Heather Hensley and RiKaleigh Johnson earned Second Best Team and Second Best Brief in the 24-year-old competition focused on trademark and copyright law. 
The students credit their extensive knowledge and preparation to their trademark and copyright professor, Maureen Collins, and their coach, William McGrath, associate director of John Marshall’s Center for Intellectual Property, Information & Technology Law and past president of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago.
Hensley and Johnson came to Chicago from small cities in Georgia and Florida, the first in their families to attend a professional school. Both will graduate in June with a certificate in intellectual property and have maintained busy schedules while attending John Marshall.