Julie Meaders and Isabel Englehart Compete in Inaugural BAFFC Appellate Oral Advocacy Competition

Fishman Haygood Associates Julie Meaders and Isabel Englehart represented the firm in the Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit’s inaugural Appellate Oral Advocacy Competition, coached by Partner Tad Bartlett. The competition, open only to BAFFC members and limited to no more than ten teams per Fifth Circuit state, drew participants from some of the region’s most prominent firms and government offices.

Julie and Isabel argued a hypothetical appeal involving complex trademark, Lanham Act, and First Amendment issues before a panel that included Judge Ramirez of the U.S. Fifth Circuit, Judge Molaison of the Louisiana Fifth Circuit, and Magistrate Judge North of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The panel was highly complimentary of their presentation.

The competition was designed by the BAFFC Young Lawyers Committee to develop oral advocacy skills through realistic appellate experience, with arguments heard at the John Minor Wisdom Courthouse in New Orleans.

Tad, who leads the firm’s Appellate Practice, put the experience in context: Julie and Isabel “fully embraced this exercise and added many hours more of work in preparing, practicing, and presenting their argument. I was lucky as their coach to see their minds at work on this and provide small bits of advice; but while for me this was a privilege, for them it was hard work.”

For Fishman Haygood, appellate work is not a sideline. It is one of the areas where the firm has long believed focused, disciplined practice sets it apart. Watching Julie and Isabel rise to this occasion is, as Tad noted, confirmation that this effort will continue successfully for a long time to come.