In January, 11 students at the West Virginia University College of Law began competing in the school’s annual George C. Baker Cup Moot Court appellate advocacy competition.
On Tuesday, two finalists, Anna J. Williams, 23, of Bluefield, and Augustus M. Graff, 27, of Ghent, had the opportunity to argue before the five justices of the state’s highest court, the Supreme Court of Appeals. Each competitor was given 15 minutes to argue their side of an issue.
The justices, who rule on the appellate advocacy skills of the finalists, chose Williams as winner of the historic Baker Cup.
The Baker Cup is one of several competitions hosted by the Moot Court Board, a co-curricular organization designed to recognize and reward students for their oral and written appellate advocacy skills, as well as strengthen and further refine those skills.
Moot Court Chief Justice Mattie Shuler said first-year law students are able to try out for Moot Court at the completion of their first year and, once accepted, attend outside competitions during their second year.
Each year, a legal problem is given to competing students who then must write an appellate brief and present oral arguments on both sides of the issue. The briefs are graded by faculty and oral arguments are judged by faculty and Moot Court program alumni.
This year’s issue surrounded prayer at a public school board meeting and a student who was asked why they did not participate in the prayer. Williams and Graff argued opposing sides of two main issues, whether a school board meeting should be considered a school setting and the legality of government led prayer.
Shuler, who was the Baker Cup winner in 2022, said based on the performances of Williams and Graff, the program has a bright future.
“I think that every year our program gets stronger and we witnessed that this year with two very strong arguments, two very strong competitors,” Shuler said. “So I think that what we really see each year is continued success and development of the program and that was very much on display this year with our competitors.”
Shuler was also quick to point out that both she and Williams studied at Marshall University before attending WVU Law School, making Marshall alums back-to-back winners of the cup.
Williams said her experience at Marshall was actually what drove her to pursue a law career.
“I had some really wonderful mentors who really pushed me to consider a law career with complex problem-solving and advocacy,” she said. “And it’s been wonderful to transition to Morgantown where I’ve got some really great professors that have encouraged me also.”
Williams, who plans to pursue education law, was honored to be declared the winner.
“I’m really excited and I’m really honored to join the participants’ list with such wonderful people,” she said. “It was great to do this with Auggie Graff, who is someone I consider a friend and a great teammate, so I’m really excited.”
Graff, who is hoping to pursue energy and environmental law after graduating, said he was drawn to the law by family who practice, as well as an interest in digging into things and trying to make arguments based on his findings.
“As far as the oral argument side of it, I didn’t even know that I wanted to do that until I went to law school and got the opportunity to try out for Moot Court,” he said.
While he was not declared the winner, Graff said, “It was really exciting just to go down there and meet people and to do it in front of the court. It also feels nice that I feel like I can breathe now that it’s over. It was a great opportunity, an opportunity that I didn’t even know was available when I first started law school, so to be here today feels pretty good.”
The judges, who said they had a difficult time choosing a winner, pointed out to Graff that two of them were once runners-up in the Baker Cup.
“It’s great to know that it’s a really long-standing tradition,” said Amy Cyphert, moot court advisor and lecturer in law. “It has a great history and I also think it is really remarkable that the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals every year agrees to judge the final round.
“Their commitment is really special to me, especially because several of the justices were themselves competitors in the Baker Cup when they were students,” she said. “I think the fact that the court is so committed to this competition is really special. It helps make it so great.”
Both Williams and Graff will receive a small cash prize. As the winner, Williams will have her name engraved on the coveted trophy.
