Meet Kendall Groza ’25L, Chair of the Moot Court Board As the leader of the Moot Court Board, Kendall Groza hopes to expose students to the advocacy competitions that have defined her law school experience.

By Law Communications
September 26, 2024

Kendall Groza ’25L was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky and went to Northeastern University in Boston for her undergraduate degree. Her decision to pursue a legal education was the result of many influences. She comes from a family that has served the government in both law enforcement and military capacities, so she knew from a young age that she wanted follow a similar service and duty-oriented path. After a short stint working on Capital Hill, she found herself fascinated with the law but realized that the national political scene was not really her cup of tea. She applied to law school shortly thereafter.

During her first summer at W&L, Kendall worked for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Homeland Security Investigations Law Division. This past summer, she worked for the District Attorney of North Carolina’s 36th Prosecutorial District as a Certified Legal Intern and was allowed to try misdemeanor cases by herself before a judge.

Why did you choose W&L Law?

I chose W&L Law primarily for its location. After spending my undergraduate years in big cities (London, Boston, LA, and DC) I knew I wanted to get back to my small-town roots, and W&L was exactly what I was looking for. The location of this school fosters a community unlike anything I have ever been a part of before. It is an oasis from the rest of the world, built on a foundation of honesty, integrity, and respect. There is a real sense of comradery amongst us all, peers and faculty alike.

Share an experience that has had an impact on your time as a law student.

One of the cornerstones of my W&L Law experience has been participating in the John W. Davis Moot Court Competition my 2L year. I started the competition just hoping to make it past the first round. A few weeks later, I found myself arguing my case before a North Carolina Supreme Court Justice, a Virginia Supreme Court Justice, and a Federal District Court Judge in the final round. The experience has shaped me both personally and professionally, and I can honestly say that I will leave W&L as a better oral advocate and a more well-rounded attorney because of it.

Another cornerstone of my experience has been Professor DiBiagio, who teaches both Federal White-Collar Crime and Federal Criminal Law. I have taken both of his courses and recommend that anyone interested in pursuing a career in criminal law take them. He doesn’t just teach you from the textbook— he forces you to think about what kind of attorney you want to be. From him you’ll learn that being a criminal law practitioner isn’t just about knowing the law and winning cases. It’s about having a sense of purpose that is driven by both moral and ethical principles, which is critical in pursuing the ends of justice as a prosecutor or safeguarding the rights of the accused as a defense attorney.

What are some goals in your current leadership position?

I am currently the Chair of the Moot Court Executive Board at W&L Law. In my position, one of my primary goals has been to increase participation in our competitions. Moot Court offers students competence in oral advocacy. It exists to encourage students to find their styles of advocacy, hone their craft, and achieve recognized success. Placing in our competitions is a prominent indication to employers and peers alike that you possess the increasingly rare ability of competent verbal communication across a variety of different contexts. Increasing participation both: (1) helps more students recognize their potential and grow as oral advocates; and (2) facilitates a more substantial degree of growth in each participant due to the increased challenge more competition would pose. In other words, it would create better oral advocates, and more of them.

 Anything you are looking forward to in your 3L year?

I am looking forward to enjoying one last lap around the sun in Lexington. It hasn’t been an easy ride, but the people and community I’ve been surrounded by have made it well worth it. Whether it be letting my dogs get their “zoomies” out on the law school lawn, spending the morning on the Chessie Trail, or grabbing pizza and drinks at Heliotrope with friends, I plan on soaking in all that Lexington has to offer before I have to leave.