Trial Advocacy Team Record

IIT Chicago-Kent's trial advocacy teams have a long tradition of excellence at national and regional competitions. The law school has won the National Trial Competition, the premier trial advocacy competition in the United States, in 1988, 2007, 2008 and 2015, and they are currently ranked fourth in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

Trial Advocacy Competition Wins, Finalist Placements and Top-Four Finishes

 

2021-2022

• Drexel Battle of the Experts
  Best Advocate - Cole Gunter
   

• Buffalo-Niagara National Trial Competition 
  Quarterfinalists - Alexander Bennett, Samantha McHugh, Gabriela Padilla-Abarca, Spencer Davidson
   

• National Civil Trial Competition
  Finalists - Zoe Appler, Cole Gunter, Annora Alfonso, Razaul Haque
  Best Closing Argument - Zoe Appler

 

2020-2021

• Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition XII
  National Champion – Zoe Appler
   

• National Trial Competition
  Regional Champions, Region 9 – Team 1: Zoe Appler, Valerie Letko; Team 2: Kimberly Napoleon, Emily Salomone
   

• National Ethics Trial Competition 
  Semi-Finalists – Lorianna Anderson, Megan Escobosa, Alex O’Connor, Sam McHugh
   

• South Texas Mock Trial Challenge
  Quarter-Finalists – Eddie Hettel, Matthew Lee, Raza Haque, Alex Bennett
  Outstanding Advocate Award – Eddie Hettel
   

• All-Star Bracket Challenge
  Semi-Finalists – Zoe Appler, Valerie Letko, Kimberly Napoleon, Emily Salomone
  Best Advocate – Midwest Region – Valerie Letko
   

• Stetson National Pre-Trial Competition 
  Quarter-Finalists – Claire Axelrood, Adrian Delgado, Andrew Hale, Eddie Hettel

 

2019-2020

• Capitol City Challenge
  Semi-Finalists - Derek Bolka, Katrina O’ Regan, Alex Stark and Lilly Mashayek
   

• NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition 
  Semi-Finalists - Bryant Roby and Alexandra Rogers
   

• Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition
  National Semi-Finalists and Midwest Regional Champions - Annisha Arnold, Shawn-Anthony Meyer, Michael McGee and Cristina Alma McNeiley
  Best Regional Advocate, Midwest Region - Annisha Arnold
  First Runner Up, National Best Advocate - Annisha Arnold
   

• Hofstra Medical Legal Mock Trial Competition 
  Semi-Finalists - Breana Brill, Myles Carroll and Emin Drnovsek
  Best Use of an Expert: Emin Drnovsek 
  Best Overall Advocate in Preliminary Round: Myles Carroll

 

2018-2019

• ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law Student Trial Advocacy Competition
  Semi-Finalists
   

• Capitol City Challenge 
  Quarter-Finalists - Timothy Cho, Saman Haque, Lilly Mashayek and Jane Morrison
  Winners of Best Technology Award
   

• Hofstra Medical Legal Mock Trial Competition 
  Semi-Finalists
  Best Opening Statement - Stef Duarte
  Best Cross Examination and Best Overall Use of an Expert - Michael Schostok
   

• NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition
  Second-place, Midwest Region - Jewell Ewing and Andrea Mireles

 

2017-2018

• National Civil Trial Competition
  Finalists - Kristen Farr Capizzi, Alexis Halsell, Shahina Khan and Jesse Pollans
   

• American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition
  Chicago Regional Champions - Kristen Farr Capizzi, Alexis Halsell, Shahina Khan and Jesse Pollans
   

• Queens County District Attorney Competition 
  Semi-Finalists - Mariam Chamilova, Dina Lupancu, Carolina Solano and Ashur Youash
   

• John Marshall Criminal Justice Competition 
  Finalists
   

• Capitol City Challenge 
  Quarter-Finalists 
   

• NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition
  Regional Champions

 

2016-2017

• National Trial Competition
  Midwest Regional Champions - Jon Emmanuel and Tyler Mikan
   

• American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition
  National Semifinalists and Chicago Regional Champions - Kristen Capizzi, Connor Greene, Stephanie Gerstetter and Erin Kuhfuss
   

• Queens County District Attorney Competition 
  Finalists
   

• White Collar Crime Mock Trial Invitational
  Finalists - Kristen Farr Capizzi, Connor Greene, Bryce Hensley and Tyler Mikan
  Best Oral Advocate - Connor Greene
   

• Lone Star Classic 
  National Semifinalists - Kristen Farr Capizzi, Krista Krepp, Paige Olsen and Dan Sanders
  Best Closing Argument – Paige Olsen
   

• Summit Cup
  Juror’s Choice Award
   

• National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Tournament of Champions 
  Semi-Finalists - Bryce Hensley, Jon Emmanuel, Warren Fasone and Tyler Mikan
  Best Advocate: Bryce Hensley

 

2015–16

• American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition
  Regional Semifinalists - Bryce Hensley, Tyler Mikan, Daniel Sanders and Michael Sherer
   

• National Trial Competition
  Regional Semi-Finalists
   

• National White Collar Crime Mock Trial Invitational 
  National Finalists - Tyler Mikan, Ana Montelongo, Michael Sherer and Nicolette Ward
   

• NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition
  National Third-Place Team and Midwest Regional Finalists - Dion Beatty, Brandi Burton, Benjamin Jacobs and Whitney Williams
  National Best Advocate - Brandi Burton
  Second-Place National Best Advocate - Dion Beatty
   

• National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Tournament of Champions
  National Semifinalists - Natalie Adeeyo, Evelyn Hernandez, Ana Montelongo and Nicolette Ward
   

• Stetson National Pretrial Competition
  National Semifinalists - Annie Motto, Sona Arora, Daniel Sanders and Symone Shinton
  Top Oral Advocate for the Second, Third and Fourth Rounds - Symone Shinton
   

• ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law Student Trial Advocacy Competition
  Regional Champions - Gus Hernandez, John Higgins, Haley Jenkins and Mohini Lal

 

2014–15

• National Trial Competition
  National and Region 8 Champions - Emily Schroeder and Nicolette Ward
  Best Oral Advocate - Emily Schroeder
   

• National Ethics Trial Competition
  National Champions - Tracey Harkins, Ann Motto, Gabrielle Romano and Kendra Spearman
   

• Stetson National Pretrial Competition
  National Finalists - Ana Montelongo, Joshua Rehak, Nicolette Ward and Michael Zhang
   

• AAJ Student Trial Advocacy Competition
  National Semifinalists and Regional Champions - Molly Condon, Matt McCarter, Lucas Peters and Michael Zhang
   

• NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Regional Competition
  Regional Champions - Natalie Adeeyo, Gus Hernandez, Haley Jenkins and Mohini Lal
   

• ABA Labor & Employment Trial Advocacy Competition
  Regional Finalists - Lindsay Hicks, Laurel Martinez, Elizabeth Romano and Kendra Spearman