Litigation Partners Rico Munn and Casie Collignon are featured in the Denver Bar Association’s September 2011, newsletter, The Docket, for their work as co-founders of the Denver Urban Debate League.
Munn and Collignon feel participation in the league is important for students academically, but can also provide mentoring opportunities and a chance to gain life experience through travel.
Collignon, who grew up in South Dakota, said, "When you grow up in a small town, those kinds of opportunities can be just as valuable as the substantive things you learn in debate.” The league also connects students with attorneys or other people with professions the students may have only heard of. "I think part of the Urban Debate League and the diversity experience, whether it’s with coaches or judges or instructors, is exposing kids to potential," Collignon said.
Most importantly, students participating in the league have excelled academically. All seniors participating in the league have graduated, Munn said. He credited Denver Public Schools for their partnership. "DPS has been a great partner," said Munn. "They really see the benefit of the program and its growth."