The National Trial Competition is the oldest and most prestigious trial advocacy competition in the country. The competition is sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the Texas Young Lawyers Association. Each year, more than 150 law schools from around the country compete.
Coaches / Faculty Contacts
Part-time Professor of Practice Brian Chase
Part-time Professor of Practice Joel Feinman
Prerequisites
None
Recommended Courses
Evidence
Team Selection
The team is selected during the tryouts for the Jenckes Closing Arguments Competition. Tryouts generally occur in late September/early October. Students prepare and deliver a closing argument. The top eight students are invited to join the team.
Competition Timeline
Practices begin in October. The competition occurs in mid-February. If the team wins the regional competition in February, the national finals are held at the end of March.
Academic Credit
Team members receive two units of credit for the Spring semester.
Meetings
In the fall, the team meets once a week to practice. Beginning in January, the team will meet at least three times per week.
Expenses
Travel expenses are paid through funds collected from private donors. Those funds are deposited in the account of the Oral Advocacy Organization, which is a student-run organization at the College of Law that sponsors and promotes activities that focus on the development of advocacy skills