Lehman and Francis Lewis argue the finals before a distinguished federal bench The MENTOR program’s annual citywide Moot Court competition was won in 2004 by Herbert H. Lehman HS whose student attorneys were counseled by lawyers from their MENTOR partner law firm Clifford Chance, LLP. Runners-up were the team from Francis Lewis HS, paired in MENTOR with Proskauer Rose LLP.
The final round was held at the US Federal Courthouse. The student attorneys argued before a distinguished bench of three federal judges: Hon. Dennis Jacobs, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and from the United States District Court Southern District of New York, Hon. Victor Marrero and Hon. Richard Owen.
Lehman HS and Lewis HS advanced to the finals as winners over Martin Van Buren HS and Sheepshead Bay HS in the semifinals. The four teams had emerged from preliminary rounds at Fordham Law School where 46 New York City high schools, represented by students who had been coached by practicing lawyers with whom their individual school is paired in MENTOR.
Founded in 1985 and conducted every fall since, the MENTOR Moot Court is now older than its student attorneys and has served as an introduction to oral argument for thousands of New York City HS students. In 1988, Fordham University School of Law became host for the competition. An editorial position for MENTOR was created on the Fordham Moot Court Board.
Each year the Fordham editor is responsible for writing the problem to be argued by HS students who participate in the competition and for administering the competition. Preliminary rounds are held in classrooms at Fordham Law School where law students serve as judges.
WINNER Herbert H. Lehman HS RUNNER-UP Francis Lewis HS
SEMI-FINALISTS Francis Lewis HS Herbert H. Lehman HS Martin Van Buren HS Sheepshead Bay HS
Justice Resource Center Chair Aldo Badini holds the MENTOR Bowl during the 2004 awards ceremony. He presented the Bowl to Lehman HS for possession until the decision in the 2005 Moot Cour finals.
QUARTER-FINALISTS Bayside HS Eleanor Roosevelt HS Francis Lewis HS Hebert H. Lehman HS James Madison HS LaGuardia HS Martin Van Buren HS Sheepshead Bay HS Stuyvesant HS Susan Wagner HS Townsend Harris HS William Cullen Bryant HS
THE CASE ARGUED The 2004 MENTOR Moot Court competition problem took place in Lincoln Center City, a medium-sized urban city in the state of Fordham that prides itself on its diversity. In the heart of Lincoln Center is Lincoln HS. When Lincoln HS prepared to celebrate its centennial, a School Seal Committee was appointed, comprised of four students, each from a different grade, to create a school seal.
After some debate the committee agreed a seal design with the top portion depicting the city and state and the bottom portion characterizing the students of Lincoln High. After a great deal of discussion they agreed that including Christian, Jewish and Islamic symbols would be a great way of illustrating the school’s diversity and decided to include the Latin cross representing Christianity, the Star of David symbolizing Judaism and the Crescent Moon and Star to represent Islam.
The seal was accepted enthusiastically by the students, teachers and administration, and was placed on the centennial literature. At centennial celebrations it was announced that the new seal would be placed at the entrance to the school, in all school classrooms, and in the gymnasium.
The Lincoln Tribune ran a story about Lincoln High’s centennial events, focusing on the school seal. Leslie Foster, a twenty-year Lincoln Center resident and avowed atheist, saw the article and called the Lincoln Center City Mayor’s Office. She explained that because she was an atheist, the religious symbols on the Lincoln High seal caused her deep distress and offense, and for her to vote would require going to Lincoln High, where Ms. Foster claimed she would see the seal upon entering the school’s gymnasium. Ms. Foster filed a lawsuit against the City.
