USD Law Alumna Naseem Moussavian ’26 (JD) Receives Honorable Mention in 2026 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition
University of San Diego (USD) School of Law congratulates Naseem Moussavian ’26 (JD) on receiving an honorable mention in the 2026 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition, a national legal writing competition that is supported by the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Foundation and showcases scholarly work in the field of trusts and estates.
Moussavian was recognized for her submission, “The Limitations of RUFADAA: Empirical Insights, State Divergence, and the Case for Statutory Reform in Digital-Asset Succession.”
The paper examines the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) and argues that its current consent-based framework no longer adequately addresses modern estate planning challenges. Through an empirical analysis of state enactments and emerging trends in digital-asset succession, the piece explores how states have diverged from the uniform act and proposes statutory reforms designed to better balance user privacy, testamentary intent, and efficient fiduciary administration.
Of the distinction, Moussavian said, “It is an honor to receive recognition from ACTEC for this paper. Estate planning is increasingly intersecting with technology, and I hope this research contributes to the ongoing conversation about how the law can better protect individuals’ digital assets while balancing privacy, testamentary intent, and the practical realities faced by fiduciaries.” She added, “I am especially grateful to Professor Adam Hirsch for encouraging me to pursue a topic I found thought-provoking and for inspiring me to submit the paper to the ACTEC Student Writing Competition.”
Professor Hirsch praised Moussavian’s scholarship, noting, “Naseem’s paper addresses access by survivors to a person’s digital assets after he or she dies. It is a cutting edge problem, which current law fails to address adequately. Naseem’s beautifully written paper offers an original analysis of the problem. It is a brilliant piece of work, to which lawmakers should hearken.”
The USD School of Law joins Professor Hirsch in celebrating Naseem's accomplishment and the national recognition of her exceptional scholarship.
About the School of Law
Each year, USD Law educates approximately 800 Juris Doctor and graduate law students from throughout the United States and around the world. The law school is best known for its offerings in the areas of business and corporate law, constitutional law, intellectual property, international and comparative law, public interest law and taxation.
USD School of Law is one of the 88 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates. The law school’s faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.