Hosted by the student-run Moot Court Board, the 16th Billings, Exum, and Frye National Moot Court Competition featured 42 teams from 25 law schools across the country that argued the constitutional merits of a fictional lawsuit around First Amendment protections of public school employees and students.
A high school teacher who won election to her local school board was later fired from a neighboring district after social media posts critical of diversity, immigration and LGBTQIA+ issues drew widespread attention.
She claimed her termination, for posts made before she was hired, violated the First Amendment’s protection of free speech.
Her daughter, a student at the same school, protested her mother’s dismissal by wearing a “MAGA – Make America Great Again” t-shirt that also enumerated conservative political and religious beliefs. When administrators barred her from wearing the shirt under the school’s dress code, she too alleged a violation of her free-speech rights.
In this fictional appeals case — the constitutional question at the heart of the 16th annual Billings, Exum, and Frye National Moot Court Competition at Elon University School of Law — the U.S. Supreme Court is asked to decide whether Mount Pilot Public Schools lawfully acted to prevent disruption within its classrooms or whether it impermissibly censored political expression protected by the First Amendment.
At the end of the two-day competition, Emily Conway and Mohsin Minhas of Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School at Yeshivia University, bested 41 other teams from 25 universities across the U.S. to claim the Chief Justices’ Cup. They edged out Courtney Yamagiwa and Stephanie Timofeyeva of University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in the final round judged by four of North Carolina’s top jurists.
Minhas also took home the Best Oral Advocate Award for the final round. He and Conway will receive a replica of Elon Law’s Chief Justices Cup and have their school’s name engraved on a permanent trophy that resides at Elon Law. Each individual member of their team also received a plaque. Second-year law students, this was Minhas’ and Conway’s first time competing as members of Cardozo Law’s moot court team and both credited their coaches and teammates with helping them prepare.
The competition problem was inspired by recent First Amendment cases in several federal circuits and written by Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief, who also directs Elon Law’s Moot Court program. Madison Gilbert L’25 composed the bench brief provided to more than 100 judges who heard arguments during the annual competition held Oct. 17-18 at Elon Law.
“We are honored that so many exceptional teams chose to compete here this year and were humbled by the number of positive comments from coaches and competitors,” Woodlief said. “I am proud of the exceptional leadership the Moot Court Board displayed in coordinating this year’s competition, and I am thankful for all the students, alumni, faculty and staff who contributed to its success.”
Reflections from the Winning Team
“The problem itself was very interesting and relevant. We really enjoyed talking it through and thinking of all the legal and policy questions it raised. All the research, writing and debate the competition allowed us to engage in will remain with me for my legal career. The organizers made us feel welcome from the start, and the judges asked some very stimulating questions and provided helpful feedback.” — Mohsin Minhas, Class of 2027, Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School at Yeshivia University
“What I loved most about this competition was the challenging and timely nature of the problem. The issues we grappled with were both legally complex and academically engaging. The judges’ questions, especially in the semi-finals and finals, were rigorous and nuanced, pushing us to think critically under pressure. … Overall, competing in Elon’s Billings, Exum, and Frye competition has been the most rewarding aspect of law school.” — Emily Conway, Class of 2027, Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School at Yeshivia University
Final Round Judges
The Hon. Catherine C. Eagles
Chief District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
The Hon. Patrick Auld
Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
The Hon. April C. Wood
Associate Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals
The Hon. Cheri Beasley (retired)
Former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and Elon Law’s Sandra Day O’Connor Professor of Law
Semifinal Round Judges
The Hon. Ralph Walker (retired)
Former N.C. Superior Court Judge and N.C. Court of Appeals Judge, and Director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts
The Hon. Lindsay Davis (retired)
Former N.C. Superior Court Judge
The Hon. Richard Doughton (retired)
Former N.C. Superior Court Judge
The Hon. James Gale (retired)
Former Chief Judge of the N.C. Business Court, located at Elon Law
The Hon. Lisa Johnson-Tonkins
N.C. District Court Judge
Greg Schwitzgebel (retired)
Past chair of the N.C. Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section and professor at Campbell University and East Carolina University
Patricia Perkins
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Elon Law
Enrique Armijo
Professor of Law, Elon Law
Elon Law Moot Court Board Committee Co-Chairs for the 16th Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition
Overall Competition Chairs: Rebecca Bailey L’25, Catherine Lohn L’25 and Adriana Hernandez Ordonez L’25
Judge Committee Chairs: Landon Eckard L’25, Lillie Kieken L’25 and Sarah Ruffin L’25
Bailiff Committee Chairs: Cameron Riordan L’25, Taylor Rockwood L’25 and Anderson Rowe L’25
Scoring Committee Chairs: Kelsey Greene L’25, Marcella McIntyre L’25 and Karrington Wallace L’25
Hospitality Committee Chairs: Ashley Clayton L’25, Alexis Croce L’25, Saniya Pangare L’25 and Hanna Riley L’25