November 5, 2007
The St. Mary’s University School of Law mock trial team finished second in the 8th Annual National Trial Advocacy Competition held Oct. 25 – 27 at Michigan State University College of Law. St. Mary’s was edged out by Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in a hard-fought trial that marked the tournament’s final round.
Twenty-six teams from the country’s most recognized schools in trial advocacy were invited to participate in the three-day tournament. St. Mary’s fielded a team of Allison Skipper, Jeff Starnes, Thom Nesbit, Matt Hill and Austin Sanford, coached by Bill Squires and assistant coach Morgan Matson.
The team went undefeated in the preliminary rounds, winning decisions from nine of nine judges, and beating teams from The John Marshall School of Law, Georgia State College of Law, Widener University School of Law and the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
Southern Methodist University has won the tournament four of the last seven years.
St. Mary’s teams are scheduled to participate in the upcoming National White Collar Crime Competition, hosted by Georgetown University Law Center, and the William Daniel National Invitational, hosted by the State Bar of Georgia.