Photograph: Eagle statue outside law school.

Trial Advocacy

Trial Advocacy teams at Washburn Law cover a broad variety of legal topics each year. Students involved in these teams have the opportunity to develop and present hypothetical cases and issues in a competitive format to demonstrate trial skills. Student teams travel to competitions across the United States and most expenses are covered by the Law School if the student is selected for a particular team.

What are the benefits of joining a Trial Advocacy team?

There are many incentives for joining one of our Trial Advocacy competition teams. Students who compete on these teams are able to develop their skills in advocacy in an applied setting against students from other law schools across the United States each year. Team members are coached in the art of advocacy in the trial setting by adjunct instructors who bring substantial expertise to the students on a one on one basis in the preparation practices prior to the competitions. These students are able to hone those legal skills to prepare for actual practice after law school

How does one become a member?

Try-outs and selections for the teams are held throughout each year. Information on the specific dates and process to try-out for a particular Trial Advocacy team is sent out via e-mail to all students in advance of the particular team selection.

How much time will participation require?

All students who participate on our competition teams will prepare for their competition with multiple practices each week in the month or months leading up to the particular competition. The time and energy required varies, depending on each individual's preparation and work habits during the practice sessions. Practices are scheduled to work with multiple student obligations and to students to successfully balance membership on the competition team with other demanding law school activities and outside obligations.

For more information on the Trial Advocacy teams at Washburn Law, contact us at:

Washburn University School of Law
Professor Joseph Mastrosimone
1700 SW College Avenue
Topeka, KS 66621
(785) 670-2460
trialadvocacycompetitions@washburn.edu

Faculty Advisor
Photograph: Joseph Mastrosimone.

Professor Joseph Mastrosimone
Director, Center for Excellence in Advocacy