On March 28 and 29, Wayne State University Law School hosted its Moot Court Winter 2026 In-House Competition, bringing together second-year law students for a weekend of appellate advocacy.
The competition featured Moot Court junior members arguing a timely and complex legal issue: which legal test should be applied to determine whether a design defect in an autonomous vehicle is unreasonably dangerous. Participants were evaluated on the substance of their arguments, knowledge of the record, extemporaneous speaking ability, and overall professionalism.
Sixteen students competed in the preliminary rounds on Saturday, Mar. 28, including Allison Sullivan, Amanda Miotke, Audrey O’Connor, Cambell Geibel, Jessica Geisler, Josiah Vallie, Kennedy Robinson, Matthew Fazekas, Matti Shaffo, Michael Salami, My’Ana Gibson, Regina Cabrera Hernandez, Samantha Zawideh, Victoria Pyrett, Yassmina Salloum, and Damion Todd.
Senior Moot Court members served as coaches and bailiffs throughout the competition, supporting participants and ensuring each round ran smoothly. These included Cameron Jajonie, Cierra Smith, Cleo Barry, Cole Levine, Daniel Cooke, Emma McCaughtry, Ethan McGraw, Ibrahim Ghazal, Lauren Filipiak, Madeeha Syed, Parker Shaw, Ryan Coker, Sabrina Yono, and Raphi Sadaka.
Judges for the competition included Wayne Law alumni, former Moot Court members, and legal professionals from across the Detroit area. The final round panel featured Benjamin L. Cavataro, assistant professor of law, who teaches products liability at Wayne Law, along with Monica Batsford and Amanda Navarre, coaches of the Moot Court ABA National Team.
“I could not be prouder of our e-board for putting together such a flawless and engaging competition,” said Lauren Simasko, Moot Court faculty advisor. “Their hard work made the entire event run effortlessly. Just as impressive was the caliber of advocacy from our participants. Each round showcased preparation, confidence, and real courtroom skill. It was a joy to watch.”
Following the preliminary rounds, Matthew Fazekas, Allison Sullivan, Regina Cabrera Hernandez, and Audrey O’Connor advanced to the semi-finals on Sunday, Mar. 29. Sullivan and O’Connor moved on to the final round, where Sullivan was named the overall winner of the competition.
Fazekas earned Best Oralist honors for achieving the highest average score during the preliminary rounds. Cleo Barry was recognized as Coach of the Year, and Jessica Geisler received the Above and Beyond Award.
“A lot of work goes into these competitions, but it is very rewarding to see that work come to fruition,” said Jack Glanville, co-director of In-House Competitions. “Cole Luken, Moot Court’s Problem Coordinator, prepared an interesting and timely problem that junior members and volunteer judges enjoyed. Dilraj Gill, my co-director of In-House Competitions, made sure everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Finally, Moot Court’s junior members did an excellent job of preparing for this competition.
Our volunteer judges were very impressed with the quality of presentation and argument on display.”
The Moot Court In-House Competition continues to serve as a cornerstone of experiential learning at Wayne Law, providing students with the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills in a realistic appellate setting while engaging with alumni and members of the legal community.
The competition featured Moot Court junior members arguing a timely and complex legal issue: which legal test should be applied to determine whether a design defect in an autonomous vehicle is unreasonably dangerous. Participants were evaluated on the substance of their arguments, knowledge of the record, extemporaneous speaking ability, and overall professionalism.
Sixteen students competed in the preliminary rounds on Saturday, Mar. 28, including Allison Sullivan, Amanda Miotke, Audrey O’Connor, Cambell Geibel, Jessica Geisler, Josiah Vallie, Kennedy Robinson, Matthew Fazekas, Matti Shaffo, Michael Salami, My’Ana Gibson, Regina Cabrera Hernandez, Samantha Zawideh, Victoria Pyrett, Yassmina Salloum, and Damion Todd.
Senior Moot Court members served as coaches and bailiffs throughout the competition, supporting participants and ensuring each round ran smoothly. These included Cameron Jajonie, Cierra Smith, Cleo Barry, Cole Levine, Daniel Cooke, Emma McCaughtry, Ethan McGraw, Ibrahim Ghazal, Lauren Filipiak, Madeeha Syed, Parker Shaw, Ryan Coker, Sabrina Yono, and Raphi Sadaka.
Judges for the competition included Wayne Law alumni, former Moot Court members, and legal professionals from across the Detroit area. The final round panel featured Benjamin L. Cavataro, assistant professor of law, who teaches products liability at Wayne Law, along with Monica Batsford and Amanda Navarre, coaches of the Moot Court ABA National Team.
“I could not be prouder of our e-board for putting together such a flawless and engaging competition,” said Lauren Simasko, Moot Court faculty advisor. “Their hard work made the entire event run effortlessly. Just as impressive was the caliber of advocacy from our participants. Each round showcased preparation, confidence, and real courtroom skill. It was a joy to watch.”
Following the preliminary rounds, Matthew Fazekas, Allison Sullivan, Regina Cabrera Hernandez, and Audrey O’Connor advanced to the semi-finals on Sunday, Mar. 29. Sullivan and O’Connor moved on to the final round, where Sullivan was named the overall winner of the competition.
Fazekas earned Best Oralist honors for achieving the highest average score during the preliminary rounds. Cleo Barry was recognized as Coach of the Year, and Jessica Geisler received the Above and Beyond Award.
“A lot of work goes into these competitions, but it is very rewarding to see that work come to fruition,” said Jack Glanville, co-director of In-House Competitions. “Cole Luken, Moot Court’s Problem Coordinator, prepared an interesting and timely problem that junior members and volunteer judges enjoyed. Dilraj Gill, my co-director of In-House Competitions, made sure everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Finally, Moot Court’s junior members did an excellent job of preparing for this competition.
Our volunteer judges were very impressed with the quality of presentation and argument on display.”
The Moot Court In-House Competition continues to serve as a cornerstone of experiential learning at Wayne Law, providing students with the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills in a realistic appellate setting while engaging with alumni and members of the legal community.
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