Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Moot Court Team

The purpose of the Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Team is to continue to improve upon the past tradition of excellence in trial advocacy at Howard University School of Law. Another purpose is to assist team members in developing their trial/litigation advocacy skills and analytical ability. The Team was founded in 1995 by former Professor Sharon Styles-Anderson and is coached by Professor Adam Hunter, Esq. Since its inception, the Team has compiled an unparalleled record of success in national competitions:

The Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Moot Court Team 

Mission Statement
The mission of the Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Team is to continue to improve upon the past tradition of excellence in trial advocacy at Howard University School of Law. Additionally, our mission is to assist team members in developing their trial advocacy, litigation, and analytical abilities.

Proposed 2024-2025 Programming:

• National Trial Competition, Texas Young Lawyers Association and American College of Trial Lawyers
• Student Trial Advocacy Competition, American Association of Justice
• Tournament of Champions, Trial Lawyers for Justice and the National Institute of Trial Advocacy
• The Capitol City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law
• South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, South Texas College of Law Houston
• Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition, George Washington University Law School
• Gold Cup Trial Competition, McGeorge School of Law and Justice Beyond the Courtroom Foundation
• The Charleston Court-Martial Challenge, Charleston School of Law and the United States Coast Guard 

A Tradition of Excellence and Success
Becoming a member of the Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Team is one of the highest honors a Howard law student can earn. With membership comes a great deal of responsibility. The team is named after Huver I. Brown, an African American attorney who in 1939 sued the District of Columbia Bar Association to gain access to the District of Columbia Bar Association Law Library. During a trial, the presiding judge asked Attorney Brown to provide legal support for an argument he made.

Because at that time only white attorneys could use the law library, African American attorneys had to argue “from the seat of their pants” without the aid of legal precedent. Attorney Brown was refused access to the library and sued asserting that a private bar group could not deny black lawyers’ access to the law library because library itself was located in a federal courthouse. Therefore, the denial of access was unconstitutional. In 1941, the lawsuit was settled, and African Americans were able to use the law library. This Team was founded in 1995 by former Professor Sharon Styles-Anderson and is currently coached by Professor Adam Hunter, Esq. Since its inception, the Huver I. Brown Advocacy Moot Court Team has compiled an unparalleled record of success in national competitions:

ACHIEVEMENTS:

2024

• Invited Participants, National Trial Competition, Texas Young Lawyers Association ad American College of Trial Lawyers

• Semi-finalists, Student Trial Advocacy Competition, American Association of Justice

• Invited Participants, Tournament of Champions, Trial Lawyers for Justice and the National Institute of Trial Advocacy

• Best Closing Argument, Octo-finalists, The Capitol City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law (Anthony Harrison)

• Outstanding Advocate, South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, South Texas College of Law Houston (Akanimo Akpan)

• Semifinalists, Costello National Criminal Law Trial Competition

1995, 1996, 1997

• Eastern Regional Champions, National Trial Competition

2023

• National Semi-Finalists, National Trial Competition, Bexar County Courthouse
• Regional Champions, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Champions, Student Trial Advocacy Competition, American Association of Justice
• Semi-Finalists, South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, South Texas College of Law Houston
• Quarterfinalists, The Capitol City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law
• Invited Participants, Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, Baylor University School of Law
• Invited Participants, Tournament of Champions, Harris County Civil Courthouse
• Outstanding Advocate, South Texas Challenge, South Texas College of Law Houston (Samuel Tope-Ojo)
• Professionalism Award, National Trial Competition, Bexar County Courthouse (Ariel Batiste, Samayia Taylor)

2022

• Semi-Finalist, Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition, George Washington University Law School
• Best Advocate for the Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition, George Washington University Law School (Samuel Tope-Ojo)
• Octo-Finalist, The Capitol City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law
• Regional Semi-Finalist, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law

2021

• Regional Semi-Finalist, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law
• Best Advocate for the Western Region, All Star Bracket Challenge, St. Mary’s University School of Law and Berkeley Law (Rosalie Egongo-Bayehe)
• Best Advocate for the Prosecution, All Star Bracket Challenge, St. Mary’s University School of Law and Berkeley Law (Teneisha Jones)
• Eugene N. Hamilton Best Advocate Award, The Capitol City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law (Anissa Ash)
• Finalist, The Capital City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law
• Best Advocate of the Preliminary Rounds, South Texas Challenge, South Texas College of Law Houston (Naomi Alexander)

2020

• Regional Champions, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law
• Best Advocate, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law (Alicia Frison)

2019

• Regional Semi-Finalist, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law

2018

• Quarter-Finalist, The Capital City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law
   

2017

• Regional Semi-Finalist, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law
• Semi-Finalist, South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, South Texas College of Law
• Clark Award for the Best Advocate in the Preliminary Rounds, South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, South Texas College of Law
• Best Defense Advocate, The Capital City Challenge, American University Washington College of Law
• Best Closing Argument, ABA National Criminal Justice Competition, John Marshall Law School
   

2016

• Semi-finalist, National Trial Competition, American University Washington College of Law

2015

• Semi-finalist, National Trial Competition

2014

• Quarter-finalist, Capitol City Challenge

2013

• Mid-Atlantic Region 1st Runner Up, Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA) Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition

2012

• 2nd Place Defense Team, Allegheny Trial Lawyers Association Trial Advocacy Competition

2011

• Semi-finalist, National Trial Competition, University of Richmond

2010

• Semi-finalist, University of Puerto Rico Invitational Criminal Trial Advocacy Competition

2009

• 2nd Place Champions, Stanford University Mock Trial Invitational
• Best Advocate Award, Stanford University Mock Trial Invitational (Katheena Mussa)
• Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (Janine Alston)

2008

• Best Advocate Award, Georgetown 2008 National White Collar Crime Mock Trial Invitational Tournament (Janine Alston)
• Best Advocate Award, Stanford University Mock Trial Invitational (April Williams)
• Best Advocate Award, Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition, Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA) (Gina McCleod)
• Best Advocate Award, Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition, Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA) (Shawn Collins)

2007

• Award for Best Opening Statement, Michigan State University Mock Trial Competition (Janine Alston)

2006

• Mid-Atlantic Regional Champions, Black Law Student Association (BLSA) Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition

2005

• National Champions, ABA National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition
• Regional Champions, Association of Trial Lawyers’ of America (ATLA) Student Trial Competition

2000

• National Finalist, Association of Trial Lawyers of American Student Competition (ATLA)
• Regional Champions, Association of Trial Lawyers’ of America Student Trial Competition (ATLA)
• Winner, Best Advocate Trophy, Allegheny Trial Lawyers Association Trial Advocacy Competition (Ryan Harding)
• Second place, National Student Trial Advocacy Competition sponsored by the American Trial Lawyers Association
• Regional Champions, National Trial Competition

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

• Selected one of the top Sixteen Trial Advocacy Programs in the country by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA)

1999

• First Historically Black Law School to win the Tournament of Champions National Competition
• Eastern Regional Champions, National Trial Competition
• Semifinalist, National Trial Competition
• Regional Champions, Association of Trial Lawyers’ of America Student Trial Competition (ATLA)
• Winner, Best Advocate Trophy, Tournament of Champions Competition (Melvin Otey)
• Winner, Best Advocate Trophy, Allegheny Trial Lawyers Association Trial Advocacy Competition (LaShann DeArcy)

1998

• Winners, Best Advocate Trophy, Allegheny Trial Lawyers Association Trial Advocacy Competition
• Eastern Regional Champions, National Trial Competition

1997

• Eastern Regional Champions, National Trial Competition

1996

• Eastern Regional Champions, National Trial Competition

1995

• Eastern Regional Champions, National Trial Competition
   

Selection of New Team Members
The Trial Advocacy Team shall be comprised of not more than twenty team members at any given time; however, the Faculty Advisor reserves the right to increase or decrease the standard number of members at his/her own discretion. If the Faculty Advisor does increase the number of members, any additions to the team may not exceed 23 members. New team members shall be selected during the annual spring semester Interscholastic Trial Advocacy Team Competition.

This is a rigorous competition open to all First year and Second year Howard Law students in good academic standing at the Law School. The Team shall be governed by the officers of the Executive Board.

The Executive Board shall be comprised of the Business Manager, President, Vice-President and Captain.