For the second consecutive year, students from Michigan State University College of Law captured the championship at the Shapero Cup Regional Moot Court Competition in Detroit, reinforcing the College of Law moot court program’s national dominance.
The MSU Law team of Katherine Held, ’26, Prabhjit Sangha, ’27, and Jack Halford, ’27, coached by Professor Jennifer Copland, won the competition and swept the top two oralist awards. Held was named No. 1 oralist for the second straight year, while Sangha earned No. 2 oralist honors.
Held in Detroit on Feb. 16, the Shapero Cup is a fast-paced, one-day format in which teams argued complex bankruptcy issues before panels of federal bankruptcy judges. The competition serves as a regional showcase for bankruptcy advocacy and a key preparatory event for the national Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition in New York, Feb. 28 – March 2. MSU Law alum Kristopher Larson, ’21, is the team’s primary coach and will be coaching them in New York this weekend.
“Our students demonstrated not only mastery of bankruptcy doctrine, but the poise and professionalism expected in federal court,” said Copland, director of MSU Law’s competitions program. “The Shapero Cup is one of the most demanding regional competitions we enter, and our team rose to the occasion.”
MSU Law’s team distinguished itself through polished written advocacy and commanding oral argument, advancing through competitive rounds against top law schools from across the Sixth Circuit.
Judges praised the team’s command of the record, responsiveness to questioning and ability to engage in sophisticated statutory interpretation under pressure.
The 2026 Shapero Cup performance builds on the momentum of MSU Law’s consistently top-ranked moot court program. In recent seasons, MSU has won national championships, best brief honors, and multiple top oralist awards across more than 20 competitions nationwide.
The law school’s advocacy program emphasizes intensive preparation, alumni mentorship and experiential learning. Each year, dozens of faculty members, alumni and practitioners volunteer as coaches and advisors, helping students refine their research, writing and courtroom presentation skills.
Michigan State University College of Law’s Moot Court Program is currently ranked No. 1 in the country against more than 200 law schools. In the last six years, MSU has landed in the top five of the nation’s law schools three times. To be considered the best, schools earn points for their performance at national and regional moot court competitions, which focus on both written and oral advocacy.
This story originally appeared on the College of Law website.
