Shutts & Bowen LLP is proud to recognize Tallahassee law clerk Sarah Kilpatrick for her outstanding performance at the 2026 Seigenthaler-Sutherland Cup National First Amendment Moot Court Competition, held in Washington, D.C.

Hosted by the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, the Seigenthaler-Sutherland Cup is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious moot court competitions, dating back to 1949. The competition brings together top law students from across the country to argue complex, contemporary constitutional issues centered on the First Amendment.

Sarah and her partner, Jake Barron, earned the Best Brief award and advanced to the quarterfinal round, which featured the top-performing teams following preliminary rounds of written and oral advocacy.

The annual competition challenges participants to brief and argue a hypothetical appellate case addressing First Amendment issues ranging from free speech on social media to constitutional questions affecting public policy, before panels of experienced judges, attorneys, and legal scholars.

In preparation for the competition, several Shutts & Bowen attorneys, including Thomasina Moore and Kassandra Reardon, volunteered their time to serve as guest judges during practice rounds, helping Sarah refine her oral advocacy and sharpen her legal arguments ahead of the national stage.

 

About Shutts & Bowen LLP

Shutts & Bowen LLP, established in 1910, is a full-service business law firm with approximately 280 lawyers in offices in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach.  Learn more about Shutts & Bowen at www.shutts.com.