IBRL Student Division
Promoting an Understanding of the Bill of Rights
"A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government . . . "
Thomas Jefferson
The Student Division of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law (IBRL:SD) was established in 1990 to provide students at William & Mary Law School with the opportunity to organize programs on constitutional law topics of special interest to them. As members of IBRL:SD, students have a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in fostering discussion of important constitutional issues. The IBRL:SD sponsors a variety of academic and social programs throughout the year, including Constitutional Conversations, our Scholarly Luncheon Series, and the annual Edmund Randolph Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy (the “Silver Tongue Award”), which is held in conjunction with the final round of the Bushrod Moot Court Tournament. Past recipients of this award include Seth Waxman, Paul Clement, Beth Brinkmann, Ed Kneedler, and Carter Phillips.
2012-2013 IBRL Student Division Leadership
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Kristin Bergman Kaitlyn Krueger John Loughney Rachel Cannon Alex Conser Anna Killius |
Chair Scholarly Luncheon Coordinator Treasurer Publicity Coordinator Constitutional Conversations, Co-coordinator Constitutional Conversations, Co-coordinator |
Upcoming Events
David Cole
"Obama and the War on Terror"
Thursday, February 7th
12:50-1:50p.m.
Room 124
Bushrod Tournament Final and Silver Tongue Award Presentation
Silver Tongue Award Recipient: Walter Dellinger
Tournament Finalists: TBD
Wednesday, February 13th
4:45-5:45 p.m.
McGlothlin Courtroom
Reception to follow in lobby
Walter Dellinger
Thursday, February 14th
12:50-1:50p.m.
Room 141
Heather Gerken
Thursday, February 21st
12:50-1:50p.m.
Room TBD
U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride
Tuesday, February 26th
12:50-1:50 p.m.
Room 124
2013 Silver Tongue Award
On February 13, 2013, the Institute of Bill of Rights: Law recognized the sixth recipient of the Edmund Randolph “Silver Tongue” Award for Outstanding Oral Advocacy, Walter E. Dellinger III. Walter Dellinger is the Douglas B. Maggs Professor of Law at Duke University and member of the appellate practice at O’Melveny & Myers in Washington, D.C. He also currently leads Harvard Law School's Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Clinic. He served as the acting United States Solicitor General for the 1996-1997 Term of the Supreme Court, arguing nine cases before the Court. Prior to this appointment, Walter Dellinger was an Assistant Attorney General and head of the Office of Legal Counsel under President Bill Clinton.
Following the presentation of the Silver Tongue Award, Walter Dellinger served as the Chief Justice for the final round of the Moot Court Team’s Bushrod Tournament. The 2013 Bushrod Problem involves a fictional statute, the Clean Our Childrens’ Lungs Act, which requires tobacco manufacturers to post large textual and graphic warnings on their packing to illustrate the health risks inherent in smoking tobacco. Williamsburg Tobacco filed suit, claiming that the mandatory warnings violates its First Amendment rights. Amanda Cox ’15 argued for the Petitioner, the U.S. government, while Alexander Phillips ’15 argued for the Respondent, Williamsburg Tobacco. After hearing two well-prepared and persuasive arguments, the justices found for the Petitioner, awarding Amanda first place in the Bushrod Tournament.
