On November 30, 2023, over 25 Kostelanetz employees gathered to watch Daniel Flesch (Kostelanetz Pre-Law Paralegal Class of 2021) present oral argument to Honorable Sonia Sotomayor (United States Supreme Court), Goodwin Liu (Supreme Court of California), and Rachel Kovner (United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York) at the Harvard Ames Moot Court Final Competition.  Daniel and his Ames teammate, Phoebe Kotlikoff, joined the watch party to talk about their Ames Moot Court experiences.

The Harvard Ames Moot Court Competition, first established in 1911, is one of the most distinguished and intense competitions for appellate brief writing and advocacy. After multiple rounds of competitions in the 2022-2023 academic year, Daniel and his team advanced to the final round. Daniel’s team, called the Patsy Takemoto Mink Memorial Team (Petitioner), consisted of Derek Choi, Kunal Dixit, Phoebe Kotlikoff, Yusuke Tsuzuki, and Monica Wang.

During the Q&A, we asked Daniel and Phoebe to tell us more about the Ames experience:

Jackie Sideris, a senior paralegal at the firm, asked Daniel and Phoebe how Ames Moot Court is similar to and different from other oral advocacy competitions, like mock trial and debate.

Sharon L. McCarthy, a partner at Kostelanetz, reflected on how impressive it was that Daniel had chosen to argue without looking at prepared notes. Daniel explained that he intentionally responded to the judges’ questions without relying on his notes in order to maintain eye contact with the judges.

Jay R. Nanavati, another partner at Kostelanetz, likewise applauded Daniel and his teammates for their hard work and noted that the oral advocacy skills they demonstrated are precisely those needed to succeed in the legal profession.

Event moderator and paralegal Tiffany Jing remarked that the watch party was a great learning experience for the Pre-Law Paralegals, as they prepare for their futures in law school.

In her feedback to the competitors, Honorable Justice Sotomayor commended, “watching the skill of all of you, for me, is inspiring.” We, at Kostelanetz, were likewise inspired by the work and performance of Daniel and his teammates in the Ames final round.

Click here for more information. Click here to watch the full competition recording.