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Today, the North Carolina Court of Appeals held oral arguments at Wake Forest Law.

Judges John Tyson, April Wood, and Christopher Freeman presided over the oral arguments—continuing a 20+ year tradition of bringing real appellate advocacy to our students.

Moot Court Marshal Mary McCullough (3L) (@mary_mccullo) opened the court and managed time for the oralists.

This year, the panel heard the case of the State of North Carolina v. Tristan Jevon Allen and Keon Jaykwon Rush.

Today, the Society for Criminal Justice Reform (SCJR) hosted a Career Paths in Public Interest panel focused on Death Penalty Litigation.

Panelists included Professor Mark Rabil, Director of the Innocence & Justice Clinic, and Assistant Capital Defenders Robert Singagliese, Christine Malumphy, and Delaney Garrett.

Together, they discussed the challenges and responsibilities of advocating for clients facing the most severe penalty under law. @scjr__wfulaw

In October, 3L Vivian Bolen—a member of Wake Forest Law’s Appellate Advocacy Clinic—argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in United States v. Zachary Braum.

The case involves the Defendant’s right to review the contents of a cell phone belonging to the government’s main witness and in the government’s custody. Vivian and her Clinic teammates, 3Ls Faith Shelman and Melissa Stuckey, first wrote an amicus brief supporting the Defendant. Afterward, the Court granted the Clinic’s motion to allow Vivian to argue, supervised by Professor and Clinic Director John Korzen.

Vivian was allotted ten minutes of oral argument time, immediately following counsel for the Defendant. “Vivian did an outstanding job, making her points and handling questions from the five-Judge panel as well as attorneys with years of experience,” said Professor Korzen. “Eight family members of Defendant Braum came to the argument, too, and they were extremely grateful for Vivian and the Clinic’s support.”

Following the argument, the Clinic team met with Clerk of Court Mac Squires, who shared insights into the history of the CAAF and its beautiful 1910 courthouse—originally home to the D.C. Circuit. The team also visited with Judge Gregory Maggs in his chambers; Judge Maggs served on the faculty (and as Dean) at George Washington Law before joining the Court in 2018.

Photo 1, pictured from left to right: Faith Shelman, Melissa Stuckey, Vivian Bolen, and Professor John Korzen
Photo 2: Flowers sent to Vivian from Defendant Braum`s father!

193 alumni. 23 states. 84 cities. Nearly 89,000 miles traveled to come home to Wake Forest Law. ✈️💛🖤

Thank you to all our #LegalDeacs who joined us for Law Alumni & Homecoming Weekend! Swipe for a look at the weekend, and see more photos at the link in our bio. @wfualumni

Need CLE credits? Register now for the Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy Symposium: "Principles in Practice: Integrity and the Rule of Law in an Era of Uncertainty," and earn 2.5 hours of CLE Ethics Credits. The symposium will take place on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Worrell Professional Center. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Swipe ⬅️ to see the schedule. Learn more and register at the link in our bio.

@wfulawjlp

Today, the Intellectual Life Committee hosted “Litigation Finance: Everything You Wanted to Know About the Hottest and Most Controversial Trend in Law.”

The panel featured Professor Maria Glover (@GeorgetownLawOfficial) and Professor William Marra (@PennCareyLaw), and was moderated by Wake Forest Law Professor Samir Parikh. Together, they explored the complexities, opportunities, and challenges surrounding one of the fastest-growing—and heavily debated—areas of the legal field.