UM captures Irving R. Kaufman Memorial Securities Law Competition
University of Miami students Sydney Stark and Ashley Knoblauch/UM Law.
University of Miami law students Ashley Knoblauch and Sydney Stark took home first place in the Irving R. Kaufman Memorial Securities Law Moot Court Competition hosted by Fordham University School of Law.
The UM moot court team earned the top spot and the second-best respondent brief. Knoblauch was recognized as the Best Oralist of the competition. The team bested 21 other teams and emerged victorious in the final round against UC Law San Francisco.
“I felt overjoyed and full of gratitude,” said Knoblauch about winning the competition. “It was a true honor to argue in the final round, before three district court judges, and winning provided such affirmation of all the hard work that Sydney and I invested into the competition. Throughout the weekend, I truly enjoyed each oral argument, and every opportunity to answer judges’ questions and craft responses. After hours of practice and research, it was fulfilling to execute, and I am so grateful to our coaches for helping us prepare.”
UM graduates Justin Prociv and Joshua Williams coached Miami Law’s team.
The team worked on their brief over three-and-a-half weeks, followed by another two-and-a-half weeks to prepare for the oral argument.
“To ensure we stayed on track with our research and writing, we established a structured schedule for the brief’s development,” said Stark. “Each day, we dedicated extensive hours to researching, writing, and refining our arguments. Transitioning from the brief to oral argument, our exceptional coaches facilitated approximately 10 practice sessions. These sessions were enriched by the participation of UM Law alumni and current members of the Moot Court Board, who generously contributed their insights and expertise. Furthermore, we had the privilege of consulting with seasoned practitioners specializing in appellate advocacy, who offered invaluable tips and constructive feedback during our practice sessions.”
