Three Philadelphia teens mentored by Kline School of Law students advanced to the Semi-Final rounds and one took Second Place in the National Marshall-Brennan High School Moot Court Competition at American University's Washington College of Law on April 10.

Haley Abernathy, a Creative and Performing Arts High School student coached by 3L Tony Cassese and 2L Chelsey Christiansen, was named second-place petitioner in the competition.

CAPA student Jahliyah Hall, mentored by 2Ls Jason Saruya and Eve Cohen, advanced to the Semi-Finals, as did Constitutional High School student Morgan Smalls, coached by 3Ls Dan Keenan and Caitlin Harley.

The competition, judged by sitting jurists, is the annual culminating event of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, a national program in which law students visit urban high schools to teach teens about the legal system and the relevance of the U.S. Constitution in their lives.

While 14 law schools including Yale, American University, Rutgers University and Arizona State University, took part in the national competition, the Kline School of Law was the only delegation with more than two representatives in the Semi-Finals.

“Our students did a tremendous job helping their protegées master nuanced legal issues and make polished arguments in the courtroom,” said adjunct Professor Shira Katz Scanlon, who directs the School’s Marshall-Brennan Program. “We’re extremely proud of them.”

Mikayla Brailsford, a student at the Science Leadership Academy at Beeber coached by 2Ls Kevin Carter and Lauren Burnetta, and Kayla Frison, a student at CAPA coached by Cassese and Christiansen, also took part in the national competition after advancing from the regional contest held in February.