1L Team Wins 2022 Kilpatrick Townsend Mock Trial Competition
February 14, 2022
A team of six first-year law students from UNC School of Law won first place at the Kilpatrick Townsend 1L Mock Trial Competition, held virtually February 4-6. The Broun National Trial Team, a student organization at Carolina Law, coordinates the annual competition that brings teams from law schools across North Carolina together to practice trial advocacy skills.
“At times it can be easy to forget why you came to law school and the changes you want to make using that legal education,” says Jess Errico 1L, a member of the winning team. “Opportunities like this competition are reminders of what you’re working towards and an opportunity to learn from, compete alongside, and connect with your peers from North Carolina’s law schools.”
In addition to Errico, members of the winning team include Amelia Brown 1L, Lauren Pless 1L, John Schengber 1L, Hillary Stroud 1L and Emily Zoffer 1L.
Twenty-three teams competed from Campbell Law School, North Carolina Central University School of Law, Wake Forest University School of Law and UNC School of Law. The championship round was a match between teams from Central and UNC, with UNC placing first. Darrin Jordan, NC State Bar President, served as a guest judge.
“There were a lot of strong competitors this weekend,” says Avery Locklear 3L, vice president of Broun National Trial Team, the student group that organizes the competition. “As we got closer to the championship round, it became tougher to make cuts. It was evident that the winning team had put time and effort into preparing for this competition, and they did an awesome job.”
The competition offers a chance for 1L students to hone their courtroom skills.
“It’s a good way to spend a weekend doing something fun with friends, building advocacy skills and seeing if a career as a trial attorney is one you’d like to pursue,” says Locklear.