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February 28, 2019

Trial Advocacy Competition Final Conducted

The team from St. Thomas Law School poses with the Hon. Nanette J. Brown, Chief Judge of the Eastern District of Louisiana

The team from St. Thomas Law School poses with the Hon. Nanette J. Brown, Chief Judge of the Eastern District of Louisiana

The National Final of the Section’s 15th Annual Labor and Employment Law Student Trial Advocacy Competition was conducted at the U.S. Courthouse for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans over the weekend of January 26-27. The team from St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida was declared the overall winner. The other participating teams represented the winning schools from the regional competitions conducted in the fall. The regions and the winning schools were:

  • Chicago Region – Washington University
  • Dallas Region – Southern Methodist University
  • Los Angeles Region – University Of California Los Angeles
  • Miami Region – St. Thomas Law School
  • New York Region – Brooklyn Law School
  • Washington DC Region – William and Mary

65 teams representing 46 law schools participated in the regional competitions. Students were provided a fact pattern focusing on sexual harassment in the workplace. The fact pattern and accompanying depositions were presented to, and scored by, panels of attorneys. Teams consisted of four students, each of whom served as an advocate in at least one round and as a witness in at least one more.

The Competition was founded in 2004 and was created with the intention of introducing law students to the practice of labor and employment law. The Competition is made possible by the participation of our volunteer members who serve as judges and score the competitors. Please consider serving as a judge or evaluator at the 16th Annual Competition next fall. For more information, contact the Section office.