Daney Stevens ’27 and Abigale Xu ’27 win Eighth Annual O’Savio Moot Court Competition

CARLISLE, Pa.—Arguing for the petitioner, Daney Stevens ’27 and Abigale Xu ’27 won the eighth annual O’Savio Moot Court Competition, held at Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium at Penn State Dickinson Law’s Carlisle location on October 17.

Stevens was also named the competition’s Best Oralist. Arguing for the respondent, Aiyanna Gutema ’27 and Devon Spiva ’27 finished as runners-up. The weeklong competition is named for Triston “Chase” O’Savio ’18, who began the event during his third year at Penn State Dickinson Law.

Both teams earned high praise from the three final-round judges: Judge Victor Stabile ’82, Judge Daryl Bloom, and Petra Gross ’10. Dozens of other volunteer judges and timekeepers assisted with earlier rounds of the moot court competition, organized by the Moot Court Board.

Students embraced the opportunity to test their critical thinking skills and receive helpful feedback from the judges. “I decided to compete in the O’Savio competition because I knew it would be a great learning experience, and I love any opportunity to think on my feet and connect with others through discussion and argument. The competition reaffirmed my desire to do oral arguments in my career,” said Stevens. “I am very grateful to have been a part of this competition, and I appreciate all the hard work the Moot Court Executive Board put into it, as well as the judges and timekeepers who took the time to help make it a success.”

Students look forward to the event each year. “This competition was one of the most demanding and rewarding moments of law school so far and served as a powerful reminder that growth comes from preparation, perseverance, and purpose,” said Gutema. “Standing at the podium, fielding questions from the judges, and defending our position reaffirmed my ‘why’ for attending law school in the first place: to advocate for people when they cannot on their own.”

An opportunity to think on your feet

Moot Court Executive Board Intraschool Competition Chair Morgan Donate, one of last year’s O’Savio winners, chose this year’s case, which included two issues. The first was a procedural one regarding standing under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The second was a substantive issue related to rider eligibility criteria and whether an amusement park discriminated under the ADA.

This year’s competition included 12 teams, for 24 total competitors, and used 32 judges. The preliminary rounds took place in the four days before the final round.

Leading up to the competition, students receive support from the board, which begins preparing for the event in the summer. Competitors attend a student-led oral advocacy class with tips for forming arguments. Each team is also assigned a moot court team member coach to answer questions and offer guidance.

“It is a great learning experience for the 2Ls. For most, it is their first time doing oral advocacy in front of judges at the appellate level,” said Donate. “It is also a fantastic opportunity for networking. You get to meet so many professionals in the field and judges who attend and volunteer. It is valuable to hear their feedback because they are very experienced in these areas. I have carried with me the feedback I received from the judges last year, which has been helpful as I move through my third year of law school.”

Judges praise students’ poise under pressure

After the students delivered their arguments, the judges deliberated for 10 minutes before rendering a decision. They applauded the finalists’ poise throughout the competition, complimenting their responses to questions, their command of the record, and their ability to navigate interruptions smoothly. After the event, students, judges, volunteers, and Penn State Dickinson Law faculty and staff mingled at a reception in Ridge Commons.

Advance preparation played a key role in both teams’ success. “Aiyanna and I both worked with our amazing coach, Keegan Foyles ’26, to develop our arguments and prepare for the competition, spending multiple hours practicing. Making it to the final round was a validation of those efforts, and it was a great way to learn how to practically apply the skills we've been learning in law school,” said Spiva.

Teams also enjoyed learning from one another. “Working with Abi was a blast. We work very well together, and she is great at looking at the problem from multiple angles,” said Stevens. “I was especially excited about being in the finals when I saw that Aiyanna and Devon were going to be on the other side because I knew they would do an amazing job, and we would all get to learn from each other’s work.”

Xu said the event inspired greater confidence in her choice of career path. “I decided to participate because I wanted to explore appellate advocacy as part of my future career,” said Xu. “The teamwork and preparation involved were incredibly motivating, and this experience has reaffirmed my passion for becoming a courtroom advocate.”

2025 O’Savio Moot Court Competition Judges

Professor Andrea J. Martin

Judge Stella Tsai

Erica Ernst

Judge Michelle Sibert ’98

Heather Kelly

Hubert Gilroy ’79

Michaela Zanis ’22

Claire Markey ’20

Bradon Toomey ’14

Professor Abi Hassen

Professor Cleve Lisecki

Spencer Bradley ’19

Sam Roos ’24

Jesse Zilinski ’22

Ella Goldman ’24

George Faller, Jr. ’87

Ana Paulina Gomez ’10

Judge Victor Stabile ’82 (championship round judge)

Judge Daryl Bloom (championship round judge)

Saad Syed

Jamie Frohm

Professor Katrice Copeland

Judge Jessica Brewbaker ’00

Professor Emily Spottswood

Paul Edger

John Abel ’86

Dean Emeritus Peter Glenn

Derrick Williamson

Robert McAvoy

Professor Lucy Johnston-Walsh

Petra Gross ’10 (championship round judge)

Assistant Dean Jeffrey A. Dodge

2025 O’Savio Moot Court Competition Participants

Petitioners

Khalil El Harragui '27 and Victoria Slotter '27

Abigale Xu '27 and Daney Stevens '27

Brian Alich '27 and Brandon Le '27

Jack Comegno '27 and Ari Srb '27

Pietro Porco '27 and Grace Fox '27

Aran Hamilton-Grenham '27 and Vikram Mahadevan '27

Respondents

Aiyanna Gutema '27 and Devon Spiva '27

Johnny Sprenkel '27 and Edward Bryant '27

Julia Biles '27 and Taylor DeLong '27

Shanell Powell '27 and India Lipscomb '27

Craig Mathias '27 and Zachary Moenter '27

Benjamin Davids '27 and Tiana Cao '27

2025 O’Savio Moot Court Competition Timekeepers

Morgan Shupsky '28

Prodigy Bossele-Meehan '28

Zachary Balla '28

Amelia Cox '28

Rayna Williams '28

Christine Williams '26

Riley Clever '28

Erin Kling '28

Danica Propst '28

2025 O’Savio Moot Court Competition Coaches

Paul Velk '26

Keegan Foyles '26

Valeria Castaneda '26

Ayah Manalastas '26

Ben Orzolek '26

Divya Patel '26

Moot Court Executive Board

Chief Executive Officer: Camille Penman '26

Vice Chair: Jonathan Udzinski '26

Treasurer: Sean Murphy '26

Recruitment Chair: Shontae Petrie '26

Intraschool Competition Chair: Morgan Donate '26