Georgetown Law Celebrates 25 Years of Home Court
March 1, 2012 — An annual charity basketball game pitting Law Center faculty and staff against members of Congress raised close to a million dollars for the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, more than doubling last year’s total.
It was the 25th anniversary of Home Court, which has raised more than $5 million to help WLCH provide legal services to people facing homelessness.
In front of a boisterous crowd on the campus of Trinity Washington University, Home Court co-chairs Lauren Miyamoto (L’12), Brittany Muetzel (L’12) and Tyler Press (L’12) took advantage of a time-out to present a check for $941,539.76 to WLCH staff.
“This is beyond anything we could have imagined back in 1987 when we started planning this event,” said WLCH Executive Director Patricia Mullahy Fugere (C’81, L’84). “It’s our neighbors who are homeless who are the winners of Home Court.”
Jeff Schwaber (L’88), who thought up the idea of Home Court as a student more than a quarter century ago, was also on hand to accept the check. “It is my sincere hope that 25 years from now, we won’t need a Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless,” he said.
The Game
The “Hoya Lawyas,” with Dean William M. Treanor (#16) starting, led early at 5-4 before the “Hill’s Angels'” Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., hit a three-pointer to make it 5-7. Georgetown Law’s Ronnie Rease scored a three-pointer just before halftime to make it 18-20.
The Hoyas stayed close in the second half, with Rease tying it up at 32-32. Another couple of three pointers by Rease, and some great plays by Lawya teammates Michael Jacobson, Damon Jones and Tom Karr, made the score a nail-biting 47 to 49 with 23 seconds left to play. The final score — Hoya Lawyas 47, Hill’s Angels 50 — did not dampen the enthusiasm of Home Court 25.
Many Lawyas (see list below) were Home Court veterans, including Professor Michael Frisch, who served as this year’s co-coach with Dean of Students Mitch Bailin. Former Senior Assistant Dean Everett Bellamy and Professor Pete Wales, who both played in the 1988 game, were honorary team members.
Student emcee Kylen Grimes (L’12) drummed up school spirit, as did Georgetown Law’s Lawcappella singing group and Georgetown mascot Jack the Bulldog.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the Hoya Lawyas,” said Bailin. “They played with passion and flair to the final buzzer. And with our students’ remarkable fundraising efforts, there definitely were no losers at Home Court 25.”
-- Ann W. Parks
For the Hoyas:
Dean of Students Mitch Bailin
Professor Christopher Brummer
Curt Campbell (L’12)
Professor Laura Donohue
Donald Gooding (staff, Marketplace Café)
Professor Michael Frisch
Professor John Hasnas (Visiting Associate Professor)
Michael Jacobson
Damon Jones (Adjunct; also vice president and general counsel of the Washington Nationals)
Tom Karr (board member, WLCH; former Law Center Fellow)
Professor David Koplow
Associate Dean John Mikhail
Ronnie Rease (Administrative Coordinator, Faculty Support and Journal Administration)
Frank Richardson (Patrol Officer, Public Safety)
Professor Perry Russell-Hunter (Adjunct)
Dean William Treanor
Professor David Vladeck
Professor Kathy Zeiler
For the Hill’s Angels:
Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif.
Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass.
Rep. André Carson, D-Ind.
Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa.
Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif.
Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas
Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss.
Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.
Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C.
Dean Mitchell
Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Calif.
Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La.
Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C.
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.
