Thomas Holmgren (Of Counsel-New York, NY) enjoyed another successful year directing the moot court competition program he launched one year ago for his alma mater, Hartwick College, where he serves on the Alumni Board of Directors. Thomas not only writes the case problem, teaches the students about oral advocacy, and coordinates the competition, he generously donates the prize money.
In this year’s competition, more than 60 students were paired into teams and given the opportunity to argue before panels of practicing attorneys from across the country. Thomas’s Wilson Elser colleagues, Manuel A. Palaguachi and Julia Audibert, associates in the New York office, volunteered as judges and assisted with the competition. The 2025 case problem concerned dog sniffs in public high schools.
Reflecting on the genesis of the program, Thomas says, “I really wanted Hartwick students to have a practical opportunity to perform in a quasi-legal setting, where they would have a chance to learn not only a little about the law but also how to think more critically and creatively, be forced to argue both sides of real legal issues, and develop oral advocacy skills in the process.” While this will be a biannual event in the future, Thomas reports that the feedback from the student competitors, and in some cases their parents, has been tremendously positive. He remarks, “It’s a lot of work – but seeing the growth of the competitors makes it worth it!” The program will undoubtedly help Hartwick market itself to prospective applicants considering a career in law, as well as support alumni engagement.