News and Events
press releases
Law Students Take Gold at the Foreign Direct Investment Moot Competition
Third-year law students Jonathan Matthews and Aaron Echols were named international champions at the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Moot Competition in Frankfurt, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 24. Pepperdine took top honors and the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Trophy.
The Pepperdine team competed against 19 international teams. Five of the competitors were from American law schools, including Georgetown University, Hamline University, Florida International University, and NYU Law School. Pepperdine was the only American school to ascend to the Top Four and beat St. Petersburg State University for the gold.
The FDI Moot presents students with a hypothetical case in connection with an investment by a private investor in a foreign host state. Students must first submit a brief and present their oral arguments.
Matthews and Echols were coached by Nancy McGinnis, assistant professor of law and faculty advisor for Pepperdine's moot court program, Jeralin Cardoso (JD '07), and Ted Holmquist (JD '07). Cardoso traveled with the team to Germany.
"The primary contributor to any success Jon and I were able to have is the strength of the Moot Court program here at Pepperdine, the willingness of our alums to coach and provide help, and the support of our administration," Echols says.
Since 1972, Pepperdine's School of Law has had a developed advocacy program competing at the highest levels. This time-honored law school tradition allows students to hone advocacy and public speaking skills while participating in mock appellate proceedings. By participating in realistic appellate, trial, and dispute resolution proceedings, "mooters" put their advocacy skills to the test by competing against other law students from the United States and from around the world.
