Photo: USC Gould School of Law. Ian Finley and Athena Tsianos, 2025 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition national champions.
USC Gould School of Law has won the 2025 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, one of the largest and most competitive appellate moot court contests in the United States. The championship was decided at the national final round in Chicago in April 2025. Our congratulations to the advocates, their coach, and the school.
The championship team
USC Gould's national title was won by two third-year students:
- Ian Finley (3L)
- Athena Tsianos (3L)
The team was coached by James Nikraftar, a USC Gould graduate and Lecturer in Law who leads the school's appellate advocacy program. Advancing through regional rounds and a national field of law schools to win the final places the pair among the strongest student appellate advocates in the country for the year.
About the National Appellate Advocacy Competition
The National Appellate Advocacy Competition is run by the American Bar Association's Law Student Division. Teams brief and argue a simulated case before a mock United States Supreme Court, and are judged on the quality of both their written brief and their oral advocacy under intense questioning from the bench. With regional rounds feeding a national final, it is widely regarded as one of the premier appellate competitions in American legal education.
For USC Gould law students
USC Gould students and alumni have complimentary access to LegalAlphabet, where they can search legal jobs and internships worldwide, including litigation and appellate roles in California and beyond. Visit the USC Gould campus page, or browse current openings on the United States legal jobs board.
Sources
This report is based on the announcement published by USC Gould School of Law.
Did your law school win a moot court, trial, or advocacy competition? Tell us and we will celebrate it.