Congratulations Participants in the Spring 2026 Gunn Appellate Practice First-Year Appellate Advocacy Competition

Congratulations to the participants in, and the winners of, the Spring 2026 Gunn Appellate Practice First-Year Appellate Advocacy Competition. After exams were over and the Trial Team and Law Review tryouts had begun, these students dusted off their R&W II oral arguments to present in front of attorneys. This semester’s competition was split over two nights (Monday and Tuesday), and the competition was held on Zoom.

Please join me in congratulating all the students on their hard work and extraordinary performances.

Best Oralist:                      

Monday:              Tied—Alan Levy and Victor Iheuwa

Tuesday:              Helen Grace White

Runner-up Best Oralist:

Monday:              Tied—Camila Navas and Sophie Arlosoroff

Tuesday:              Reagan Labiak

Third Place:

Tuesday:              Audrey Hamilton

Participants and Round Winners:

Monday:

• Round 1:  Andrea Ticsa v. Sasha Mincey (round winner)
• Round 2   Sophie Arlosoroff (round winner) v. Morgan Rawlins
• Round 3:  Victor Iheuwa (round winner) v. Mia Bostic
• Round 4:  Alan Levy (round winner) v. Camila Navas

Tuesday:

• Round 1:  Helen Grace White (round winner) v. Julian Kasky
• Round 2:  Joshua Redmond v. Reagan Labiak (round winner)
• Round 3:  Jonathan Hammond v. Megan McEnery (round winner)
• Round 4:  Macy Vestal v. Audrey Hamilton (round winner)

The First-Year Appellate Advocacy Competition has been an R&W II tradition for almost 30 years, and this spring’s competition would not have been possible without the support of our competition sponsor, Tracy Gunn. Tracy is a 1993 graduate of the College of Law, is a member of our Board of Overseers, and has an appellate practice firm in Tampa.

A special thanks goes to the judges who shared their time and expertise with the students. On Monday evening, thank you to Caitlein Jammo (chief judge), Nancy Eriksen, Eddie Hong, and Hoyt Prindle, III. And on Tuesday evening, thank you to Audrey Gangloff (chief judge), Sam Hart, and Marian Monforte.

After rounds of arguments in which the judges were asking up to 12 or 15 questions in an 8- to 10-minute argument, the judges spent time providing feedback and advice. But bottom line, the judges were very impressed. This elite group of students took an opportunity to continue to develop their advocacy skills by participating in a competition held, for some, a month after their last oral argument. The judges were really impressed by all the arguments.

Congratulations, everyone!
Professor Bowman

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