HOUSTON – This past weekend Campbell Law student advocates reached the Final Four of the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge for the fifth-straight year, a Herculean feat at the nation’s largest invitation-only mock trial competition. Hannah Wallace, Tatiana DeBerry, Anna Claire Turpin, and Nichad David comprised the team, while Turpin won one of eight outstanding advocate awards out of a field or more than 100 competitors.
“Once again, Campbell Law demonstrated it is among the very best in law school advocacy,” said Campbell Law Director of the Advocacy Program & Assistant Professor of Law Dan Tilly. “Hannah, Tatiana, Anna Claire, and Nichad demonstrated that work ethic, intellect, and talent combine to create success in the courtroom. As second-year students, they prevailed over a host of experienced, graduating third-year law students. I could not be prouder of their effort and success.”
The team was coached by Campbell Law Director of the Advocacy Program & Assistant Professor Dan Tilly, and 2017 Campbell Law graduate Jacob Morse.
Hosted by South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas, the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge is one of the preeminent mock trial competitions in the country. As the largest invitational trial competition in America, the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge hosts teams from across the nation. Most competing schools opt to send their very best advocates, many of whom competed at other national competitions this spring.
Campbell Law’s historically strong competitive advocacy program has particularly blossomed in recent years. Since 2012 Campbell Law student advocates have collected five national championships, six national runners up, seven national semifinalists, four regional championships and 14 national individual best advocate awards.
This February, preLaw magazine highlighted Campbell Law’s trial advocacy program as one of the best in America for the second year in a row. The program is currently ranked inside the top 10 nationally by Fordham University School of Law’s Trial Competition Performance Rankings. Last April, U.S. News & World Report had high praise for Campbell Law’s advocacy program, tapping it as tied for 21st-best in the country.