Second-year Temple Law students Kaitlin Halsell and Jency Mathew have advanced to the National Finals of the Giles Sutherland Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition after placing second and collecting a Best Team Advocates award in the regional round. Teammates 3L Lauren Green and 2L Diana Joskowicz also turned in a strong performance, placing fifth out of 13 teams.

Both Halsell and Mathew cited the close collaboration among all four teammates as critical to their success. “So much of what we learned was from working with each other,” Mathew observed. “It really showed me what an invaluable source of guidance your own peers can be.” Halsel concurred, while also crediting faculty advisors Greg Mandel and Don Harris with providing “unmatched support.”

Halsell and Mathew have traveled different paths to arrive at their interest in Intellectual Property law. Mathew says she came to law school knowing that was what she wanted to practice, and was drawn to the competition for the opportunity to hone her writing and oral argument skills. For Halsell, intellectual property was a pleasant surprise. Her interest grew out of exposure in Professor Harris’ introductory IP course and Professor Mandel’s Property class. It was the involvement of two of her “favorite and most inspiring professors” as advisors that finally persuaded her to apply for a spot on the team.

The Giles Sutherland Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition is sponsored by the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

Photo, from L to R: Professor Greg Mandel, Kaitlin Halsell, Diana Joskowicz, Jency Mathew, Lauren Green, Professor Don Harris.