Zoom image: 2023 Desmond Competition First Row: Left to Right: Katherine Kio '25 & Tyler Myszka '25 (Winning Team), Victoria Heist '24 & Lexi Horton '24 (Runner-up Team), Haley Case '24, Buffalo Moot Court Board President Second Row: Left to Right: Prof. John Giammatteo; Prof. Lucinda M. Finley, Frank G. Raichle Professor of Trial and Appellate Advocacy; Director of Moot Courts, Sean C. Eldridge '10, U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, WDNY 2023 Desmond Competition First Row: Left to Right: Katherine Kio '25 & Tyler Myszka '25 (Winning Team), Victoria Heist '24 & Lexi Horton '24 (Runner-up Team), Haley Case '24, Buffalo Moot Court Board President Second Row: Left to Right: Prof. John Giammatteo; Prof. Lucinda M. Finley, Frank G. Raichle Professor of Trial and Appellate Advocacy; Director of Moot Courts, Sean C. Eldridge '10, U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, WDNY

The Desmond Competition

For over three decades, this intramural competition gives participants the opportunity to argue a constitutional law case related to matters currently pending before the United States Supreme Court.

The Charles S. Desmond Moot Court Competition is the most prestigious appellate advocacy competition at the law school, attracting several local lawyers and judges to volunteer their time as judges.  Accomplished lawyers from Western New York and law school professors judge competitors’ oral arguments in the preliminary and semi-final rounds, while federal and state judges evaluate the finalists. Competitors also submit a written brief formatted using the rules to the United States Supreme Court.

Organized by the School of Law's Buffalo Moot Court Board, the Desmond competition is one of the most popular courtroom competitions the school offers. The competition is open to all second-and third-year law students annually.

2024 Desmond Results

Katherine Kio ‘25, Tyler Myszka ‘25 and the Buffalo Moot Court Board ran a smooth and seamless competition.

Nearly 40 volunteers from the legal community judged the rounds including the Honorable Mark W. Pedersen, Paul Cambria, Esq. and Professor Lucinda Finley, who judged the Final Round.

  • Best Oralist in the Final Round: Gavin Zmuda ‘26
  • Winning Team: Gavin Zmuda ‘26 & Gianna Palumbo ‘26
  • Finalists: Parizoda Nasimjonova ‘26 & Steven Borodzik ‘26
  • Best Oralist Award: Steven Borodzik ‘26
  • Second Best Oralist Award: Gianna Palumbo ‘26
  • Third Best Oralist Award: Maeve Christ ‘26
  • Best Brief Award: Emily Rasulo ‘26 & Maeve Christ ‘26
  • Second Best Brief Award: Richard Neri ‘26 & Hunter Siegel ‘26
  • Third Best Brief Award: Nyles Panus ‘26 & Alex DeAntonis ‘25

Buffalo Moot Court Board Leadership

President: Katherine Kio
Vice-President: Tyler Myszka
Treasurer: Shelby MacSwan
Public Relations Directors: Sara Paltrowitz and Katherine Manuszewski
Desmond Competition Co-Chairs: TBA
Weschler Competition Co-Chairs: TBA

Faculty Adviser: Prof. Lucinda Finley

Contact: law-bmcb@buffalo.edu
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