RALEIGH — Campbell Law advocates participated in the fifth Estrella Mock Trial Competition (ETAC) held April 6-7 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The competition is co-hosted by the Law Firm Estrella, LLC and The George Washington University Law.
The team, coached by Advocacy Program Director and Professor Dan Tilly and Advocacy Wallace Fellow Morgan Pierce ’18, consisted of third-year students Ashley Urquijo, Rosa Reyes, and Alexandra Puszczynski and second-year student Jake Terrell. The team advance to the semi-final round after defeating their preliminary competitors. The field was narrowed from 14 teams to four. They went on to beat a team from William and Mary to advance to the final round where they came in second against George Washington University.
“Our team was applauded for their excellent use of demonstrative exhibits, their knowledge of the law, and their captivating story telling,” Pierce explained.
The 2018 Estrella Competition was canceled due to the hurricanes’ impact on Puerto Rico. Estrella, LLC is a full-service law firm with expertise in civil litigation. Accordingly, the competition uses a civil case. A sampling of past problems include: whether a store was negligent after an alleged mugging occurred in their parking lot, possible negligence of a company after alleged sexual harassment on a business trip, and whether a retailer is liable to an independent contractor for injuries caused by a competitor in an event organized by the retailer. Some years, the choice of calling two of three potential witnesses is provided to each team. The competition is only open to 14 teams.
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