Mock Trial Honor Society

Inter-School Competitions:

Criminal:

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Trial Competition: Fall - The Mock Trial team sent a winning team to this unique criminal trial competition, which took place October 25-28, 2006 in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. See more about how our team made it to the finals and placed second in this prestigious national competition here!

Civil:

Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) Student Trial Advocacy Competition: Spring - ATLA attempts to inspire excellence in trial advocacy through training and education for law students and practicing attorneys alike. This competition is a civil case competition tending to deal with products liability, personal injury, or medical malpractice/negligence issues. There are fourteen regional competitions, with the winner of each region being invited to the National Finals in Miami, Florida.

Gourley Trial Competition: Spring - The Gourley Trial Competition is sponsored by the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County. The civil case competition takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in mid-February each year and features top competition from law schools throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions.

Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) National Trial Competition (NTC): Spring - The NTC Competition provides a national and regional level of competition for participating law schools. The top two winners of each of the thirteen regional competitions compete in the National Competition in Dallas, held in late March each year.

WCL Mock Trial Honor Society

Mission

We strive to empower students to become true trial advocates. Through preparation for and competition in national, regional, and intraschool competitions, we endeavor to help each member of the Society take the skills they learn in classes and transform them into practical abilities. Mock Trial Honor Society members should graduate with knowledge, flexibility, adaptability, experience, and expertise in trial skills, oratorical skills, evidence, and teamwork.

Members of the Mock Trial Honor Society are selected through an abbreviated trial competition each spring and earn the opportunity to be placed on the highly selective competitive teams.

The Mock Trial Honor Society also works closely with the Trial Advocacy Program at WCL to educate its members and the students of the entire school on effective trial practice and techniques.

If you are a WCL student who wants to experience what real trial advocacy is like, this is the group for you. We offer 1L students a chance to gain valuable practice in the spring through our 1L Competition. To formally try out for the team, simply participate in our Spring Qualifying Tournament. Once you have earned your membership in the Mock Trial Honors Society and take the appropriate courses, you will become eligible for placement on one of our prestigious mock trial teams.

So, to summarize the benefits of being a part of the Mock Trial Honor Society:

Be a part of a Mock Trial team that competes successfully across the country.

Gain trial practice experience and skills most litigators need and which benefits all potential lawyers.

Earn 2 credits for competing.

Have a great time!

Feel free to get in touch for more information or to sign up for our listserve by emailing mocktrial@wcl.american.edu.

The Mock Trial Honor Society Proudly Announces the First Annual Capitol City Challenge, March 28-29, 2009. Please visit the webpage for more information: Tournament Information

Executive Board Members for 2008-2009

Eleni Theodosiou-Pisanelli, President
Antonio Valiente, Executive Vice President
Keith Nguyen, Vice President of Finance
Alejandra Acevedo, Vice President of Communication
Will Shiffman, Vice President of Public Relations
Megan McCarthy, Vice Presidents of Training & Development
Mike Dreher and Scott Yoo, Directors of Intra-School Competitons
Jon Wood, Team Liaison
Sara Steele , Secretary

Recent Competition Results

Academy of Trial Lawyers Allegheny County (ATLAC) Gourley Trial Competition

2007 – Fourth place.

2006 – Second place.

Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) National Student Trial Advocacy Competition:

2005 – Sixth place in the regional competition.

2004 – Fifth place in the regional competition.

American Bar Association (ABA) National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition:

2005 – National Semi-Finalist.

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Trial Competition:

2007 - One member awarded “Best Advocate”.

2006 – Second place.

Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) National Trial Competition (NTC):

2008 – Regional Semi-Finalists.

2006 – Regional Semi-Finalists.