When UCLA School of Law hosts a new tournament called the Verdict, starting on Oct. 16, it will be presenting a first-of-its kind law school jury-trial competition.
While most trial advocacy competitions ask lawyers or judges to score students on their courtroom performances as a proxy for what lay jurors would find persuasive, the Verdict includes lay jurors who submit verdicts on the merits. Like in real trials, the winning team will be the one that best persuades the juries.
The annual ranking of the top law school trial advocacy teams in the country has been released, and the A. Barry Cappello Trial Team at UCLA School of Law is No. 1 for the second year in a row. The success comes after a record-breaking season for the law school’s trial team, including landmark wins in the most esteemed competitions in the country.
With victories in the two premier trial advocacy competitions in the country – the National Trial Competition and the Student Trial Advocacy Competition – UCLA School of Law’s A. Barry Cappello Trial Team has earned its most prestigious wins ever and is the national champion. No school has ever before won both titles in the same season.
UCLA School of Law’s A. Barry Cappello Trial Team completed another dominant month in March. Already ranked No. 1 in the nation, the team won the National Ethics Trial Competition, took second place at the South Texas Challenge, and finished in third place at the Capitol City Challenge. Each virtual tournament included more than 30 law schools.
UCLA School of Law students Delaney Gold-Diamond ’21 and Avery Hitchcock ’21 won the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition, which was held virtually over the course of several weeks, from late February through mid-March.
Two crews of students representing UCLA School of Law’s A. Barry Cappello Trial Team swept the Student Trial Advocacy Competition (STAC) West Coast regional, which was held virtually March 4-7. UCLA Law will be among 12 law schools competing at the national championship tournament in April.
When UCLA School of Law lecturer and alumna Diane Birnholz ’90 appeared on Wheel of Fortune on Feb. 24, the final bonus round puzzle (category: “Event”) looked challenging at first:
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Two squads of students representing UCLA School of Law’s A. Barry Cappello Trial Team swept the National Trial Competition’s Southern California regional round, which was held virtually Feb. 4-7. The victory marked the first time that UCLA Law’s trial team won both of the region’s bids to the national tournament.
The A. Barry Cappello Program in Trial Advocacy at UCLA School of Law has launched a collaboration with the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, creating an innovative educational opportunity for law students and pathologists alike.