An SIU law student won best oralist at the National Health Law Moot Court Competition Friday and Saturday which participants said was more of a learning experience than a competition.

Rob Shields, a second year law student, won the title of best oralist by arguing an appellate case about a doctor who fails to diagnose breast cancer.

Shields said each student was given 15 minutes to argue their case before a judge. The competition consisted of 24 teams, representing 18 law schools across the nation.

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It was a hands on practical experience that most do not get, Shields said.

SIU team member Diane Swanson said the competition gives students an opportunity to put a lot of the academic knowledge they have learned into action.

It bridges the gap between the academic side of law school and the real world of practicing law, Swanson said.

SIU had two teams in the competition. One team advanced to the quarter-finals and both teams lost to the second place John Marshall Law School team.

Four Chicago students from Chicago Kent and John Marshall law schools argued the appellate case in front of four judges. The Chicago teams argued against each other in the final round.

Julie Gerber, Jennie Schutter and Kathlean Holper, all law students at Chicago Kent, received a $1,000 scholarship award for winning the competition.

When all was said and done the judges complimented the students on their enthusiasm and advocacy skills.

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After the final round, each of the judges expressed their opinions about the finalists oral arguments.

Judge Paul Riley, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, said he thought the students’ enthusiasm was marvelous.

It makes me feel young and alive, Riley said.

Judge Phil Frazier, a federal magistrate in Benton, said he thought the students were well prepared for the competition.

Your mastery of the topic is obvious, Frazier said.

Judge Harlington Wood Jr. of the 7th U.S. Circuit court of Appeals told the finalists he thought they were ready to practice in his court.

Keep doing things the way you are and you’ll do fine, Wood said.

Matthew Scharman, a senior in political science, said he too was impressed by the students and their advocacy skills. He said the preparation that went into the competition must have been unreal.

The competition was sponsored by the SIU School of Medicine, the SIU School of Law and the American College of Legal Medicine.

John Marshall team member Chris Markey said he thought the competition was professional and nicely done.

It was good old SIU hospitality, Markey said.