Started in 2006, NYU’s National Immigration Law Competition (ILC) is the NYU Moot Court Board’s annual external moot court competition, open to teams from ABA-accredited law schools other than NYU Law. The ILC focuses on cutting-edge issues in the field of immigration law and is judged by panels of distinguished NYU alumni and legal practitioners from throughout New York. The final round is judged by federal appellate and district court judges.
2026 Competition
NYU School of Law hosted 28 student teams from nineteen different law schools from across the country at the 21st Annual Immigration Law Competition from February 6th through February 8th, 2026. This year’s competition was presented with support from our sponsors, aiLegal Law and Fragomen. The final round was presided over by the Honorable Judge Aframe of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the Honorable Judge Ramirez of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Honorable Judge Ritz of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
2026 Award-Winners
Champion Team: Team 10 – University of Virginia
Runner-Up Team: Team 3 – St. Mary’s University
Semi-Finalists:
Team 9 – University of Virginia
Team 13 – University of Cincinnati
Quarter-Finalists:
Team 27 – CUNY School of Law
Team 24 – Brigham Young University
Team 4 – University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Team 18 – Fordham University School of Law
Individual Awards:
Best Brief: Team 18 – Fordham University
Second Best Brief: Team 13 – University of Cincinnati
Best Oralist: Gregory Ambrose of Team 22 – University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Second Best Oralist: Natalie Gunn of Team 25 – Brigham Young University