Mock Trial Team Wins at Regionals, Heads for Nationals

Two teams from the Law School are just back from four intense days of mock trial arguments at the regional level of the annual Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competition. One team earned Regional Champion honors and will compete at the national finals next month; the other team also made a strong showing, placing 10th out of the 24 teams participating.

The regional event, one of 14 held around the country Feb. 4-7, took place at Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Neb. The Law School's winning team—made up of Alex Hagstrom (’15), Jenna Shannon (’16), Leon Wells (’15), and alternate Rosie Derrett (’16)—defeated teams from Creighton and the University of North Dakota en route to its victory. The team will now prepare for the national finals, to be held March 11-15 in Houston. The other Law School team—Carolyn Isaac (’16), Ryan Kief (’15), Joseph Serge (’15), and alternate Kaiya Lyons (’16)—bested teams from Hamline and Washburn Universities before being eliminated from competition by a team from the University of Iowa. The teams are coached by adjunct professors Craig Roen (’87) and Craig Buske (’10).

The Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competition was established in 1975. This is the second time in the past three years that the Law School has sent a team to the finals.