Third-year students Sara Tremurici and Brittany Anselmo were named champions in the 2013 Trial Team Trifecta hosted by the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution.
The Trial Team Trifecta is an intra-squad competition open to students who in the spring semester are selected for the Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Honors Council. Sixty students made this initial cut this spring and competed for positions in the upcoming mock trial competitions in the fall.
Because spring try-outs are short—generally 15 minutes for each student—the Trifecta becomes a stage upon which the students can perform as they would in a real competition. This performance becomes the basis for their selection to specific teams by the coaches of those teams, who served as evaluators for each round.
Students are given a competition problem and specific aspects of the trial to perform, normally a direct and cross examination and either an opening statement or the closing argument. Students advance individually from two preliminary rounds to the semifinal and championship rounds. “This is our third successful Trial Team Trifecta,” said Professor Susann MacLachlan, director of the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. “This concept in team selection allows students the opportunity to demonstrate their skill sets before their coaches within an actual competition setting, and serves to keep the team members sharp and practicing their trial skills over the summer months.”
Over the two-day competition, 27 members of the coaching staff volunteered their time to score the student performances.
“These coaches, alumni and former trial team standouts, are dedicated to maintaining the high level of skills training that is the John Marshall legacy,” she added.