Law Students Win Hispanic National Bar Association Competition

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A University of Alabama Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. School of Law moot court team recently won a national competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, beating more than 30 teams and earning UA its first championship in the competition’s history.

The team had a perfect record throughout the 2019 Hispanic National Bar Association’s Uvaldo Herrera Moot Court Competition. In the final round, the team argued before a panel of judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the New Mexico Supreme Court, and the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.

The nation’s top law schools from around the country competed in the competition. The problem involved complex constitutional issues concerning freedom of the press and due process.

Team members include Steven Arango, of Clearwater, Florida; Cameron Rentschler, of Columbia, South Carolina; and Zach Smith, of Raleigh, North Carolina. This team is coached by Cameron Fogle, an associate professor of legal writing.

This victory was the result of an incredible amount of hard work and dedication by the team, Fogle said. Despite the long hours and stress, however, the team’s attitude always remained positive.

“The team succeeded at the highest level and had fun doing it,” he said. “It was a much-deserved outcome for an excellent group of advocates.”

One of America’s leading public law schools and consistently ranked as one of the best values in legal education, The Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. School of Law offers a challenging curriculum with over 150 electives, several dual enrollment opportunities, Master of Laws degrees, and a J.S.D. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6.3:1, the Law School offers students a rigorous, hands-on learning experience, with strong student engagement in clinical programs, legal journals, moot court teams, and trial advocacy.