UNT Dallas College of Law students defeat Harvard

Dallas—In what is being hailed as a true Cinderella story, the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) College of Law recently beat Harvard Law School in one of the country’s most prestigious legal advocacy competitions. The law school was recently ranked among the Top 15 moot court teams in the nation for the first time.

The three-person UNT Dallas team of Hamilton Hayers, Victoria Saucedo and Andrew Brown prevailed on both brief and oral argument against Harvard, winning by nine points in the National Moot Court Competition last month.

Out of 191 teams representing 121 law schools nationwide, the UNT Dallas College of Law team ultimately advanced to the semifinal round, concluding with a three-point decision. Following the competition, the University of Houston’s Blakely Advocacy Institute released its new rankings.

“This accomplishment reflects the exceptional preparation and determination of our students,” said UNT Dallas President Dr. Warren von Eschenbach. “Our College of Law was founded to expand access to high-quality legal education, and this national recognition demonstrates that our students can compete successfully with the most established programs in the country.”

The annual competition, hosted by the New York City Bar Association in partnership with the American College of Trial Lawyers, is one of the nation’s longest-running inter-law school advocacy programs. Designed to mirror real appellate practice, students analyze a record on appeal, draft formal briefs and present oral arguments before panels of attorneys and judges.

National moot court rankings are based on cumulative points earned through competition performance throughout the season, with different events carrying different weight. Schools with larger budgets often send more teams, increasing their opportunities to accumulate points.

For UNT Dallas, finishing 13th nationally is especially significant.

“This ranking is particularly meaningful because points are accumulated based on success at competition,” said Allie Van Stean, professor of practice and director of advocacy competitions. “Programs that are able to send more teams naturally have more opportunities to earn points. Because we operate with a smaller budget, our students must be successful at a higher percentage of competitions to achieve this standing. Their dedication and professionalism made that possible.”
 
Moot court competitions require months of preparation. Students draft detailed appellate briefs and defend their arguments under rigorous questioning, refining their analytical thinking and courtroom presence in the process.

Saucedo said the national rounds required adaptability as much as preparation. 

“The strongest rounds were the ones where we adjusted in real time to what the judges were asking,” she said. “We trusted the process we built and stayed disciplined in how we approached each argument.”

Teamwork was central to managing the scope of the competition’s challenges. 

“This competition required significantly more research and writing than a typical moot court problem,” Hayers said. “Working closely as a team allowed us to produce a brief that reflected our collective effort.”
 
For Brown, the experience reinforced the connection between moot court and preparation for legal practice, particularly in litigation. 

“Moot court provides an opportunity to engage deeply with legal issues, develop persuasive arguments and work collaboratively toward a shared goal,” Brown said. “Those experiences translate directly to practice.”

Located in downtown Dallas, UNT Dallas College of Law was established to expand access to legal education and serve historically underrepresented communities. The college offers an affordable, practice-ready legal education designed to support entry into the profession while meeting the needs of a growing legal community in North Texas.

SOURCE UNT Dallas College of Law