MSU Law
Michigan State University’s College of Law provides students with experiential learning opportunities so they can make their mark in the legal community, from classroom to courtroom.
Kicking off 2025, a team of three Spartan Law students put their oral and written advocacy skills to the test in a series of moot court competitions and came out victorious at the regional level. Together, Nicholas Langenberg, ‘25, Katherine Held, ‘26, and Brandon Matthews, ‘27, outshone teams representing top law programs including the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, the University of Kansas, the University of Memphis, the University of Cincinnati and Lincoln Memorial University.
The trio took first place at the 7th Shapero Cup Regional Moot Court Competition, hosted by the American Bankruptcy Institute at the U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse in Detroit on Feb. 17. The Shapero Cup is an intense, one-day event where students practice oral arguments before prominent bankruptcy practitioners, federal bankruptcy judges and federal district court judges. Making this win even sweeter, Held and Langenberg earned first and second places, respectively, for their oral arguments.
The team built upon this momentum and went on to compete at the national level at the 14th Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, hosted by St. John’s University School of Law and the American Bankruptcy Institute in New York from Mar. 1-3. Here they finished in the top 16 out of 54 teams.
MSU Law has a lasting reputation for success when it comes to moot court programs, having been ranked as the nation’s No. 1 program by the Blakely Advocacy Institute in 2024, and landing in the top 16 since 2020.
“Moot court is a skills and confidence-building activity, and many students say it is their favorite part of law school,” said Jennifer Copland, associate clinical professor of law and director of MSU Law’s competitions program. Copland has taught the moot court competition at MSU since 2009 and coached several teams each semester. She also serves as the faculty advisor to the Board of Advocates, a student organization which gives members – including Langenberg, Held and Matthews – credit for participating on a competition team.
The winning MSU team was mentored and assisted financially by alumni and volunteers from Acrisure, a Grand Rapids-based insurance brokerage firm, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a New York-based law firm.
“The number of students who can benefit from moot court is, of course, limited by budget,” Copland explained. “Having supporters like Acrisure and Skadden step in and offer to sponsor a team allows us to provide more opportunities and strengthens our visibility and prestige in national competitions.”
“I feel extremely grateful to our sponsors, Acrisure and Skadden, for making this competition possible for us,” Langenberg said. “Without their financial support, we wouldn’t have been able to compete at all, and without their strategic advice and insight, we would not have been nearly as prepared as we were.”
Held added, “One of the best parts of this team was that the harder one of us worked, the others rose to the challenge. Then, we were challenged once again by our incredible coaches and volunteer judges.”
For students like Langenberg, Held and Matthews, the benefits of moot court extend beyond simply winning. Taking part in the competitions helps to fortify their legal resumes and prepare for the road ahead.
“Moot court has been one of the most transformative experiences of my law school career,” Matthews said. “It has sharpened my ability to think on my feet, craft compelling arguments and advocate with confidence. Beyond the skills, it has reinforced the importance of preparation, adaptability and resilience—lessons that will stay with me far beyond the courtroom.”
