Annika Hurd is the winner of the third annual Oral Argument Advocacy Challenge at University of Wisconsin Law School.

Every spring semester, students in UW Law’s Legal Analysis, Advocacy, and Writing Program (LAAW) are given the opportunity to practice their oral advocacy skills.

After researching and writing their trial brief, students argue their client’s case to their professor and against another student advocate. In 2025, the arguments centered around whether an employee was entitled to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) time to care for her elderly neighbor, and if so, whether the employer interfered with that leave.

 After listening to all their students’ oral arguments, each professor nominated the best oral advocates from their sections, who then competed in a two-day elimination tournament to select a winner. After the first two days of the tournament, the field was winnowed from 14 semi-finalists to finalists Hurd and Harrison McBride.

The final round was held in a packed courtroom and highlighted the advocates' ability to meticulously analyze fact-specific cases to persuade the court of their client’s position. Both finalists demonstrated their capacity to draw parallels between their client’s situation and existing legal precedents, and to effectively distinguish their client's circumstances from opposing arguments. While the panel of judges peppered the advocates with questions presenting complex hypotheticals and creative policy arguments, the advocates skillfully and persuasively responded.

The LAAW Program is proud of all the competitors for providing another year of excellent student oral arguments. 

 

Submitted by Law School News on March 6, 2025

This article appears in the categories: Features, Legal Research & Writing, Students