Release

UAlbany Competes in Moot Court Nationals

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (December 23, 2005) -- Four University at Albany undergraduate students will compete in the American Collegiate Moot Court Association's National Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament January 20-21, 2006 in Arlington, Texas.

The UAlbany participants include New York residents Alison Bain-Lucey of Belmont and Matthew Laroche of Queensbury, who teamed earlier this month to best several other colleges and universities and win the Eastern Regional of the ACMCA tournament in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Patrick Chamberlain of Binghamton, and Matthew McLaren of Hurley advanced to the quarterfinals of the regional tournament and also will represent UAlbany at the national finals in Arlington. Laroche was voted the number two individual orator in the regional tournament, and McLaren was voted eighth best individual orator.

Professor James Acker of the School of Criminal Justice helped prepare the students for the moot court competition, which requires two-member teams to argue both sides of a hypothetical case and respond to questions posed by panels of judges. This year's case involved a conflict between free speech rights and the required separation of Church and State presented by a City Council's decision to deny a church group's request to present a passion play and post a cross in a public park during the Easter season.

Acker lauded the hard work and enthusiasm of all students on the moot court team and noted that the opportunity to participate in events of this nature "is part of what makes the undergraduate experience at UAlbany so educationally rewarding."