South Texas College of Law Houston students Catherine Crawford and Byron Kazanjian won the Donald C. Hudson Memorial Moot Court Competition in Chicago last weekend, bringing the total of national advocacy championships for the law school to 149 — the most in the nation.
Kazanjian, a third-year online law student and district chief B with the Channelview Fire Department, was named Best Overall Advocate in the competition. He is the first South Texas Law online student to win a national championship or best advocate honor. He made his way into the advocacy program by winning the intramural Leroy Jeffers Memorial Moot Court Competition.
Crawford also is a third-year student, serving as co-chair of the Board of Advocates. She previously served as a Teach for America Corps member and taught fourth-grade math in a multilingual classroom. She has participated in multiple judicial internships and other legal experiences while in law school.
Sponsored by the Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Hudson is one of the nation’s most respected appellate competitions. It draws teams from Georgetown, New York University, Northwestern, George Mason, Baylor, Stetson, the University of California Law-San Francisco, Illinois, and more.
South Texas Law is ranked 6th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for its advocacy program focused on mock trial and moot court.
“The Hudson’s bench sets it apart,” said Professor of Law Rob Galloway, who is the vice president for advocacy and the W. James Kronzer, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Advocacy. “Experienced appellate lawyers judge the preliminary rounds, and sitting justices of the Illinois Appellate Court preside over the semifinals and finals. Our students argued to judges who know appellate practice from the inside, and they won. And they did it as defending champions. We’re very proud of them.”
Board member and alumna Maria Chapa Lopez ’86, former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, wrote in a note of celebration, “149 and counting! Congratulations to you, Catherine and Byron, and all our student advocates on a remarkable few weeks. To the alumni coaches, faculty, and everyone on the advocacy team who helped prepare our students, thank you for giving so generously of your time. You should all be very proud of what you’ve accomplished. I know we are — and as a South Texas alum, I’m especially proud.”
This past weekend capped a remarkable run for the law school’s advocacy program. Since mid-October, STCL Houston students have won a national title, sent two teams to national finals, finished as national finalists, earned three best brief awards, and racked up individual advocate honors from coast to coast.
Jack Abbott, Robert Buzbee, Mason Gillingwater, and Noah Maher reached the semifinals at the ABA Arbitration Competition’s Omaha regional. Salvatore Maneen and Olivia Rivers reached the quarterfinals at the Burton Wechsler National First Amendment Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C.
At the New York regional of the Judge Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition, South Texas Law swept the brief awards and sent both teams to the national finals:
- Bijaar Ishaq and Muniba Khan: Semifinalist, Second Best Brief; Second Best Advocate (Bijaar Ishaq)
- Mohamad Dayoub and Kaylee Garcia-Tran: Best Brief
Jack Anderson and Ryan Breen finished second at the Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition. Braxton Burgess, Bijaar Ishaq, and James Meehan reached the quarterfinals.
At the Chapman, Lewis & Clark Moot Court Invitational, South Texas Law won both brief awards. Truly Juneau, Shanele Shojei, and Kevin Williams took Best Petitioner Brief and reached the quarterfinals. Lezley Herrera, Victoria McNeil, and Jonathan Wells III took Best Respondent Brief.
Jack Abbott, Mason Gillingwater, and Phoebe Hamilton reached the semifinals at the ABOTA Best in Texas Jury Selection Competition in Austin. Hamilton won Best Voir Dire and Most Professional Advocate.
Robert Buzbee, Alexis Johnson, and Byron Kazanjian reached the octofinals at the Emory Civil Rights and Liberties National Moot Court Competition.
Against the Best
These weren’t small fields. Between 20 and 40 teams competed at each tournament, many from the country’s top advocacy programs, Galloway explained. Reaching the elimination rounds takes excellence in every round. Winning a championship or a best brief award means beating dozens of talented, well-prepared teams.
The Team Behind the Teams
It starts with the students. Behind every award are weeks of researching and rewriting briefs, late nights sharpening arguments, and practice round after practice round, often on top of full course loads and jobs. That commitment is what sets STCL Houston students apart in a competitive field.
Alumni coaches are the other half of the equation. They are practicing lawyers, and in one case a sitting judge, who give up evenings and weekends on top of demanding careers. They press students on weak points, run practice rounds, and pass along judgment that only comes from real practice.
“Many once stood where our students stand now,” Galloway said. “They come back because someone did the same for them. That cycle of alumni investing in the next generation is what makes South Texas different, and it shows in results like these.”
What This Means
Galloway noted these results are about more than trophies. “They show we are delivering on our mission: first-rate legal training that develops the next generation of leaders of the bench and bar,” he said. “When our students take on the best programs in the country and win, it validates everything we do here.”
Board member Michael K. Hurst ’90, partner with Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann, LLP, Rob, sent his well-wishes to Galloway and the students: “Congrats to you, the advocates, and the whole program! Y’all make us proud!
Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois Hudson Memorial Moot Court Competition
Chicago, Illinois
Catherine Crawford
Byron Kazanjian
National Champions
Best Overall Advocate – Byron Kazanjian
Alumni Coach:
Zach Caballero ’17 (Padilla & Rodriguez)
Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Jack Anderson
Ryan Breen
Finalist
Braxton Burgess
Bijaar Ishaq
James Meehan
Quarterfinalist
Alumni Coaches:
Marcela Arevalo ’20 (Andrews Myers)
Evan Howze ’13 (Federal Public Defender’s Office)
Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition
New York Regional
New York, New York
Bijaar Ishaq
Muniba Khan
Semifinalist
Advanced to National Finals
Second Best Brief
Second Best Advocate – Bijaar Ishaq
Mohamad Dayoub
Kaylee Garcia-Tran
Advanced to National Finals
Best Brief
Alumni Coaches:
Anna Pham ’23 (Norris Law Firm)
Lexus Srilamsingha ’22 (Wright, Close, Barger & Guzman)
Chapman, Lewis & Clark Moot Court Invitational
Portland, Oregon
Truly Juneau
Shanele Shojei
Kevin Williams
Quarterfinalist
Best Petitioner Brief
Lezley Herrera
Victoria McNeil
Jonathan Wells, III
Best Respondent Brief
Alumni Coaches:
Kristen Ranna ’26 (Kane Russell Coleman and Logan)
Kirsten Vesel ’20 (Copeland & Rice LLP)
ABA Arbitration Competition
Omaha Regional
Omaha, Nebraska
Jack Abbott
Robert Buzbee
Mason Gillingwater
Noah Maher
Semifinalist
Alumni Coach:
Cristen Flanagan ’25 (Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & BenMaier PLLC)
Caroline Rains ’25 (Abraham Watkins)
ABOTA Best in Texas Jury Selection Competition
Austin, Texas
Jack Abbott
Mason Gillingwater
Phoebe Hamilton
Semifinalist
Best Voir Dire – Phoebe Hamilton
Most Professional Advocate – Phoebe Hamilton
Alumni Coaches:
Samantha Broyles ’20 (Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office)
Hon. Craig Priesmyer ’15 (268th District Court)
Morgan Bird Priesmeyer ’18 (Nistico, Crouch & Kessler, P.C.)
Burton Wechsler National First Amendment Moot Court Competition
Washington, D.C.
Salvatore Maneen
Olivia Rivers
Quarterfinalist
Alumni Coach:
Sandra Guillen ’19 (STCL Houston)
Emory Civil Rights and Liberties National Moot Court Competition
Atlanta, Georgia
Robert Buzbee
Alexis Johnson
Byron Kazanjian
Octofinalist
Alumni Coaches:
Zach Bieganowski ’22 (Bieganowski Law Group)
Mic Davis ’23 (Texas Business Court)
Britany Gaona ’26 (Pipkin & Ferguson)
