Cassidy Irwin ’25 and Jacob Manley ’25, two accomplished advocates from South Texas College of Law Houston, represented the law school one last time after their graduation and brought home the title from the State of Texas Moot Court Competition, held June 17-19 in San Antonio.
This prestigious win for the advocacy program at South Texas Law comes at the close of a competition season that included an unprecedented five national titles, a Scribes National Brief Writing Award, three regional championships, and 10 individual speaking awards.
Each year in conjunction with the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) invites all ABA-accredited law schools in Texas to compete. Irwin and Manley went head-to-head with every other law school in Texas in the preliminary rounds, defeating the team from St. Mary’s University Law School in the semi-finals.
The final round pitted the two-some from South Texas Law against a duo from Texas Tech University School of Law in front of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Irwin and Manley delivered an outstanding performance to win it all.
“The competition between Texas law schools is always intense,” said Prof. Rob Galloway, vice president of advocacy at South Texas Law. “I am proud of these students who rose to the occasion at one of the most challenging events on the advocacy calendar.”
Manley was part of the advocacy team that brought home the first national title of the 2024-25 season. “Winning this state title is the perfect way to finish this unprecedented year, and to bring a fitting close to three years of grueling work,” he said. “I thank all the people who have worked so hard behind the scenes.”

Irwin described the competition as “the most fulfilling stop along the journey of my law school career. It’s an incredible feeling, and I want to thank the coaches who made this possible: Andrew Bender ’12, Garrett Gray ’23, and Brigette Dechant ’22. They were the wind beneath our wings.”
The team’s volunteer coaches, all advocacy alumni who are currently practicing attorneys, were excited about the win and the advocacy program’s continued success. “The only thing more rewarding than winning a championship as an advocate is helping the next generation of South Texas Law graduates win a championship,” said Andrew Bender ’12, of Andrews Myers.
“The most rewarding part for me is seeing the growth and development of this team,” added Garrett Gray ’23, who currently is a clerk at the Supreme Court of Texas. “Knowing where they started, and where they finished proves these advocates trusted the process we use at South Texas Law.”
Brigette Dechant ’22, of Baker & Hostetler, gives credit to Prof. Galloway’s ability to pair up teams and coaches. “Without having his trust in us to execute his plan, this win wouldn’t be possible,” she said.
Coincidentally, Reynaldo “Rey” Valencia — who will lead South Texas College of Law Houston beginning July 1 — was attending the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting. Although he was giving a presentation while the final round was being argued, he hurried to congratulate the winning team upon learning of their success. “What a great way to unofficially start my tenure as president and dean!” said Valencia.
In a note to all staff following the competition, Galloway congratulated his winning advocates, along with the entire advocacy community. “This championship, following our historic season, shows the South Texas Law Advocacy Program continues to excel at the highest levels,” he said. “Our students are receiving the kind of practical training that prepares them to succeed from day one in practice.”