TALLAHASSEE--Jim Corrigan credits his experience on the College of Law’s Moot Court team for kick-starting his successful career as a litigator. He is convinced that, along with his good grades, the Moot Court entry on his resume influenced the prestigious Orlando firm of Maguire, Voorhis & Wells to hire him into its trial section right out of law school. 

The 1973 grad recalls with great fondness the years he spent traveling to Moot Court competitions with classmates Mel Martinez, Ken Connor, Bill Jennings, Danny Kepner and Chris Hart. Corrigan says that Connor, a year ahead of him and Martinez, is fond of telling the two that he “sired them from a legal embryo and made them everything they are.” Martinez and Corrigan still refer to Connor as “Sire.” 

Corrigan and Martinez, now a U.S. senator, teamed up their first year 1972, with Professor Bill VanDercreek as coach, and won Best Brief in the state competition. 

Almost 33 years later, Corrigan and his wife Anne have created the James and Anne Corrigan Endowment for Moot Court with a gift of $100,000. 

“Now that I have the opportunity to help the Moot Court team, I’m happy to do it,” said Corrigan, founding partner in the Pensacola firm of Corrigan & Janes, where he practices medical malpractice, personal injury, wrongful death, and product liability law. “I know how expensive it is to travel.” 

Professor Nat Stern, the John W. and Ashley E. Frost Professor, who serves as the team’s faculty sponsor, said: “This is a wonderful gift that should help the Moot Court Team extend its success in state and national competitions. 

“The breadth of purposes for which endowment funds can be employed will allow the dean to direct them to their optimal use. For example, all of our teams that have won a national competition in recent years have benefited from the presence of their coach at the competition. The funds for coaches’ travel from the Endowment of Excellence will enable us to continue to provide that invaluable support.” 

Similarly, Stern said, the availability of scholarships from the endowment will bolster the team's ability to compete by alleviating financial pressures that can interfere with team members’ preparations. “All of us who are associated with the team are deeply grateful to Jim and Anne for their extraordinary generosity.”