Team wins space law competition

A team of students from the GW Law School was named the 2005 world champions of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition last month.

Third-year law student Kristie Blase and 2005 graduate Olivia Hussey defeated finalists from the National University of Singapore on Oct. 20 at the competition’s final round in Fukuoka, Japan.

Blase and Hussey began the journey to victory last April, defeating teams from the United States, Mexico and Canada in the North American regional contest. They defeated the European regional winners from England’s University of Cambridge last month before successfully arguing their case at the finals in front of three sitting judges of the International Court of Justice.

“For lawyers and law students, this (victory) is almost the equivalent of winning a gold medal at the Olympics,” said Steve Mirmina, Blase and Hussey’s space law coach, who is a NASA senior attorney.

Student wins television set

Sophomore Lisa Goldman won a free 32-inch television at the District Market last week in a monthly promotional contest sponsored by Coca-Cola.

To win the contest, Goldman had to enter her name into a prize box. Coca-Cola Key Account Manager Ron Rutter, who heads up relations between the University and the soft-drink company, said Coca-Cola runs different contests every month to draw students to GW-sponsored events and food venues.

GW’s partnership with Coca-Cola began in 2000. Monthly contest prizes also include free iPods, airline tickets and District Market gift cards.

-Marissa Levy