Students

The eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Trial Practice Competition brought student advocates from 15 top law schools from across the country to King Hall in October.  It was the first time the competition hosted by UC Davis Law was held on site.

Through the coordinated efforts of Competition Advisor Hayley Graves, Trial Practice Honors Board President Cassidy Riedel ‘26, and the very dedicated efforts of the MLK Comp Committee, Judge Recruitment team and supporting board members, the competition showcased the law school and its Trial Practice program.

Thirty-six teams from the Class of 2028 competed in the King Hall Negotiations Team’s 14th annual 1L Negotiations Competition, held Saturday, Sept. 27.

Congratulations to winning teams Rory Yoakum and Lauren Tepper and Carter Dalke and Evan Gaudreau, and to finalist teams Nathan Nemeth and Garrett Chao and Emily Ma and Anna Bullock.

Thanks to KHNT board members and advisor Professor Sarah McBride.

San Francisco law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters has selected Trinity Balla ’27 as a 2025 Diversity Scholar. One of four Northern California law students selected, Balla will receive $25,000 in scholarship funds.

The American Bar Association’s Business Law Section selected Firyal Bawab ’27 to participate in its prestigious Business Law Diversity Clerkship Program.

One of four U.S. law students chosen for this year’s program, Bawab is externing this summer for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy, who handles civil and business law cases. The program includes a stipend.

Congratulations to environmental law students Adriana Chavez ’26 and Rachel Kennard ’27 on receiving 2025-26 scholarships from The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law.

Chavez was awarded a $7,500 Francis Hartogh Diversity Outreach Scholarship and Kennard received a $6,750 Foundation Scholarship.

The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law is an educational nonprofit dedicated to the study of all aspects of natural resources and energy law.

Professor Raquel Aldana and Jordan Porterfield ’25 spoke as part of the Chicana/o/x Studies Department’s spring symposium “Humanizing a Dehumanized Experience: The Voices of Resistance at UC Davis” on May 12. The event was co-sponsored by the Undocumented Student Resource Center and the Cross Cultural Center.

UC Davis Law environmental law student experienced remarkable success during the spring 2025 semester.

In February, the 3L trio of Kaylinn Charnley, Abigail Talboy and Alina Werth finished among the three finalist teams in the prestigious Pace University Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition.  Thanks to King Hall alum and longtime coach David Green ’12 for guiding the team.

The King Hall Negotiations team hosted 30 teams of talented first-year UC Davis Law students on March 1 at the 17th annual Intraschool Negotiations Competition.

Congratulations to the winning teams of Anusha Entezari and Reagan Lewis and Wyatt Herrera and Cameron Lane and finalist teams Farhad Abadani and Logan James and Madison Mitchell and Angelene Obedoza. 

On March 6, students Thacher Hoch ’25 and Sinporion Phuong ’25 argued on behalf of a Civil Rights Clinic client before a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco. The panel comprised Judges Kim McLane Wardlaw, Richard A. Paez and Kenneth K. Lee.

Nayarith Franco Vasquez ’26 has received a prestigious Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund Law School Scholarship. Franco Vasquez is one of 10 law students across the nation awarded $5,000.