Justice Alito among Dean’s Cup Moot Court judges for 2008

October 24, 2007Duke Law News

Oct. 24, 2007 -- Dean David F. Levi announced that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Judge William H. Pauley III of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York will judge the final round of Duke Law School Dean’s Cup Moot Court competition in February.

The Dean’s Cup is Duke Law’s moot court tournament for upper-class students. During the tournament, which begins in January, second- and third-year law students submit written briefs and present oral arguments to student and faculty judges; the last two winners compete in the final round. This year’s final round will be held on Feb. 7, 2008, at the Law School.

“We are excited and honored to have Justice Alito as one of the judges for the Dean's Cup Competition,” said Katherine Crawford ’08, co-chair of the Duke Law Moot Court board. “His commitment to attend reflects the vitality of our Moot Court program as well as the many exciting events and opportunities at the law school.”

Moot Court board co-chair Jade Totman ’08 adds that the participation of three such prominent judges presents an “outstanding opportunity for the Duke Law community.”

Samuel Alito was confirmed as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Yale University, where he served as an editor on the Yale Law Journal. He clerked for Judge Leonard Garth of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court, he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

José A. Cabranes was appointed a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1994. At the time of his appointment, he was chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Judge Cabranes holds an A.B. degree from Columbia College, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and an M.Litt. in international law from the University of Cambridge in England.

William H. Pauley was appointed to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, in 1999. He is a double alumnus of Duke University, having earned his bachelor’s degree and J.D. in 1974 and 1977, respectively. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was in private practice and served as assistant counsel to the New York State Assembly minority leader. Judge Pauley is a member of the Duke Law School Board of Visitors.