Pepperdine Caruso Law Students Crowned Champions of Ninth Annual Notre Dame National Appellate Advocacy Tournament for Religious Freedom

This past weekend, second-year Pepperdine Caruso Law students Megan Hoefs, Isaac Zwerling, and Mitchell Brost competed in the Ninth Annual Notre Dame National Appellate Advocacy Tournament for Religious Freedom in South Bend, Indiana.  After five grueling rounds of competition over two days, the team emerged victorious and was crowned as champions of the tournament.

“Time and again, the members of our Caruso Law Moot Court Team continue to demonstrate advanced oral advocacy well beyond their years,” said Paul Caron, Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean of Caruso Law.  “Ms. Hoefs, Mr. Zwerling, and Mr. Brost exhibited intelligence, grit, humility, and professionalism in this tournament, and their hard work resulted in an impressive victory.  We could not be more proud.”

The competition problem dealt with various employment and religious-liberty implications arising from the Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, 601 U.S. 346 (2024), and Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, 597 U.S. 507 (2022).  Seventeen teams from all across the country competed in the tournament, and over multiple rounds, the Caruso Law trio argued their case in front of actual judges sitting on both state and federal courts.  The final-round panel consisted of the Honorable Timothy M. Tymkovich of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the Honorable David R. Stras of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the Honorable Justice R. Patrick DeWine of the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Stephen White, assistant dean for student life at Caruso Law, coached the team. Caruso Law congratulates Hoefs, Zwerling, and Brost for their outstanding win in this competition.