Trial Advocacy - Massachusetts School of Law

The National Mock Trial Advocacy Team, comprised of the American Association for Justice Trial Competition Team and BLSA Trial Advocacy Team, have won numerous prestigious awards, including New England Trial Advocacy Champions, Northeast Region Trial Advocacy Champions, Northeast Trial Advocacy 1st Runner Up, and Best Brief in the East. On multiple occasions over the past few years, MSLAW students on these teams have won individual honors for Best Oral Advocate and Best Cross Examination. In the most recent 2024 Constance Baker Motley Trial Competition, MSLAW placed 3rd in the Northeast Region and advanced to Nationals.

Since 2015, MSLAW Trial Teams have garnered the following awards:
2015:
4th Place, Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, Northeast Region
1st Place, Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, Northeast Region
Best Advocate, Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, Northeast Region
Best Advocate, Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, Northeast Region
(Two MSLAW students tied, each with a perfect score.)
Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, National Finals
American Association for Justice Trial Advocacy, New England Champions
American Association for Justice Trial Advocacy, National Finals
2016:
4th Place, Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, Northeast Region
Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, National Finals
2017:
Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, Best Advocate
2018:
Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, 1st Runner Up
4th Place, Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team, National Finals
2019:
Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition, 1st Runner Up
Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition, National Finals
2020:
Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition, Quarterfinalists
(Due to the pandemic, MSLAW teams did not compete in AAJ competitions in 2020, or in either
competition in 2021.)

The following are excerpts of the write-ups of MSL’s trial teams from the years prior to 2015.

[Spring 2015] Massachusetts School of Law at Andover’s Trial Advocacy Team

Massachusetts School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Team advanced to the semifinals of the American Association for Justice New England Region Trial Advocacy competition. Teams from law schools throughout New England and New York, including Yale University Law School, Cornell University Law School, and the ultimate Regional Champion Syracuse University Law School, competed in the New England regional matches of the American Association for Justice Trial Advocacy Competition to determine which team would advance to the national finals in Santa Monica in April.

MSLAW team members are James Hutu, Jessica L Edwards, Caryl M. Garcia, Andrew Boulanger, Charles Luccia, Everald Henry, David Howard, and Erin Curran. Associate Dean Michael Coyne, Professor Daniel
Harayda, and Plymouth County
Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Mello are the professors for MSLAW’s
Trial Advocacy team.

MSLAW’s team faced stiff competition in advancing to the semifinals as the undefeated number two seed especially from Yale University Law School and Cornell University Law School. In the semifinals, MSLAW matched up against Syracuse University Law School as it had in 2010 when MSLAW defeated Syracuse and went on to win the championship and advance to the national finals. This time the results favored Syracuse by a single point, which then went on to defeat Suffolk University Law School in the final match. Having beaten Yale University Law School, MSLAW claimed 3rd place in the New England Region.

MSLAW’s teams displayed a mastery of the law and rules of evidence in a negligence/medical malpractice trial. MSLAW’s teams demonstrated outstanding advocacy skills in presenting both the Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s case. In praising the team’s performance, Dean Coyne said, “The School is very proud of our Trial Advocacy Team’s efforts and the success this year of our Trial Advocacy Program. It is a pleasure to see our students achieve so much, as I know how hard they worked for their success. The entire faculty and administration are pleased in knowing that no matter where are students go to participate against other law schools, be it San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta or Washington, that our students will continue to excel and demonstrate their skills and the strengths of MSLAW’s educational program. We are enormously proud of them.”

[Spring 2014] Massachusetts School of Law Trial Advocacy Team finishes in the Top 10 in the Country at the National NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in Wisconsin

Massachusetts School of Law’s Trial Advocacy team, the winners of 2nd and 3rd place in the Northeast Region of the Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Competition, finish in the top ten in the country at the 2014 National Finals in Wisconsin after losing to National Champion Florida State University Law School in the semifinal match. MSLAW’s team was outstanding throughout the three days of highly competitive matches that paired the top 18 teams in the country to see which school had the country’s preeminent Trial Advocacy Program. MSLAW was only one of two law schools in the country that qualified two teams for the National Finals and the only school in the country that saw both its teams advance to Round III at the National Finals defeating teams from the various regional winners of the Trial Advocacy Competition.

MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy Team displayed great advocacy skills at the national finals of the 2014 Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Advocacy Competition of the National Black Law Students Association. MSLAW’s team had previously won 2nd and 3rd place for the Northeast region. The Northeast region is comprised of the 33 law schools in New England, New York and northern New Jersey. The three winners from the six
regions competed for the national championship, held this
year in Wisconsin. The other participating regional winners
included Harvard Law School, Loyola University Law School,
University of Washington School of Law, Washington and Lee
University School of Law, University of Hawaii School of Law,
and the ultimate National Champion Florida State University
School of Law.

Team members participating at the National Finals were Caryl M. Garcia, Hadler Charles, Poonam Choythani, Calvin G. Carrasco, Jessica L Edwards, Allison Britton, Jason Herron, and Jonathan Etesse. Associate Dean Michael L. Coyne, Professor Daniel Harayda, Professor Darius Greene, and Essex County Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Gillespie coach MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy team.

The National Finals involved federal drug conspiracy and weapons charges. The case had complex and technical evidentiary and constitutional issues that the students addressed by arguing pretrial motions and then presenting the case to a jury. The trials brought together the top advocates from the top trial advocacy programs in the United States to compete for the prestigious National Championship. The trial judges applauded MSLAW’s teams throughout the competition for their impressive advocacy and high level of professionalism. MSLAW teams prosecuted and defended the cases as the rounds progressed.

In praising the team’s performance, Dean Coyne said, “Mastering the law and the art of advocacy requires a deep commitment by students, faculty, and administration. That our Advocacy Program could accomplish so much both at the regional and national level this year is a tribute to our student’s intelligence and commitment to unparalleled excellence in law. For our team to excel against the top advocacy programs in the United States makes us especially proud. Their accomplishments over the last 10 years at various regional and national advocacy competitions is impressive and a tribute to their intelligence, work ethic and determination.”

In the last five years, MSLAW’s teams have won the highly competitive Northeast Region of the Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Competition three times including back-to-back championships in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 and sent eight teams to the National Finals finishing as high as 3rd and 4th place in the country in that period.

[Spring 2013] MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy Team performs superbly at Thurgood Marshall National Finals in Atlanta and at the American Association for Justice Northeast Regionals in Boston

MSLAW’s Northeast Championship BLSA team’s drive for a national Championship ended in Atlanta after advancing to round three at the National Finals. In round three, MSLAW trounced the University of Missouri beating them by over 10 points but did not acquire enough points to advance to the Final 4 in the country having lost to eventual National Champion Michigan State by 3 points during the preliminary rounds. At the Northeast Region of the American Association for Justice Trial Advocacy competition, MSLAW’s teams got a tough draw having to play Yale twice and an always-tough UCONN in the preliminary rounds. At the conclusion of the preliminary rounds of the AAJ Northeast Regionals, four teams were tied for fourth including MSLAW and the tiebreaker went on points to the eventual Championship Suffolk team 226 points to MSLAW’s 206. MSLAW students were outstanding as always. During the AAJ Northeast Regionals one of MSLAW’s teams lost only to Yale with its other team winning two of their three matches while splitting the vote 2-1 on the only match they lost of the weekend.

Congratulations to all of this year’s Advocacy Team students, students and staff who worked with the teams as jurors, coaches and the MSLAW community for the support it takes to have another championship season and for continuing MSLAW’s great tradition of success.

[Spring 2012] Massachusetts School of Law Trial Advocacy Team Takes 4th Place at the National NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in Washington D.C.

Massachusetts School of Law’s NorthEast Champion Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Team takes 4th place at 2012 National Finals in Washington after losing to National Champion Loyola in semifinal match. MSLAW’s team was outstanding throughout the three days of highly competitive matches that paired the top 18 teams in the country to see which school had the country’s preeminent Trial Advocacy Program. MSLAW was the only law school in the country that qualified two teams for the National Finals and both its teams advanced to Round Three at the National Finals beating teams from various law schools including Notre Dame and Chicago Kent. U.S. News and World Report ranks Chicago Kent 4th in the country in Trial Advocacy.

MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy Team displayed great advocacy skills at the national finals of the 2012 Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Advocacy Competition of the National Black Law Students Association. MSLAW’s team had previously won the NorthEast region championship. The NorthEast region is comprised of the 33 law schools in New England, New York and northern New Jersey. MSLAW sent two teams to the National Finals in Washington, D.C. as its teams had finished in the top three spots in the NorthEast region. The three winners from the six regions compete for the national championship, held this year in D.C. The other participating regional winners included Notre Dame University Law School, William and Mary University Law School, University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, Texas Tech School of Law, Michigan State University Law School, and the ultimate National Champion Loyola University Law School of New Orleans.

Team members participating at the National Finals were Darryl Caffee,
Allenston Sheridan Jr., Tradia Vereen, Felicea Robinson, Kellie Tiller,
Anthony McDuffie, Patrick Brown, and Katisha Brown. Associate Dean
Michael L. Coyne, Professor Daniel Harayda, Professor Darius Greene,
and Essex County Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Gillespie coach
MSLAW’s Advocacy team.

At this year’s competition MSLAW defeated teams from some of the best trial advocacy programs in the United States as they advanced through the competition including Notre Dame and Chicago Kent. U.S. News and World Report ranks Chicago Kent 4th in the country in Trial Advocacy. The Best Advocate was from Michigan State University Law School and Columbia University Law School won more awards than any other school in the Moot Court competition also held in D.C during the BLSA’s 44th annual national convention.

In the last five years, MSLAW’s teams have now won the highly competitive NorthEast Region of the Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Competition twice and sent seven teams to the National Finals finishing as high as 3rd and 4th place in that period. [Originally published Winter 2011]

The Trial Advocacy Team from the Massachusetts School of Law Wins Third Place in the 2011 Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition and for the Fourth Time in Five Years Competes at the National Finals with the Other Regional Winners

Massachusetts School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Team demonstrated tremendous advocacy skills during the 2011 Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition for the Northeast Region of the National Black Law Students Association. In winning third and fourth place in the competition, all four of MSLAW’s teams again advanced to the quarterfinals as they had in 2008 with 6 of the top 8 teams coming from only two schools – MSLAW and Harvard University Law School. The semifinals saw two very evenly matched MSLAW teams face Harvard to see who would advance to the finals. In two very close matches, Harvard prevailed over MSLAW. Harvard University Law School won the Trial Competition and Columbia University Law School won the Moot Court Competition held at the regional convention in Connecticut. The Northeast region is comprised of the 33 law schools in New England, New York, and northern New Jersey.

MSLAW’s students displayed impressive command of the evidence, law, and facts while displaying great advocacy skills throughout the competition. MSLAW advanced four teams to the Elite 8 of the highly competitive Northeast Region. While teams are not allowed to disclose their team affiliation during the competition, among the teams that MSLAW beat were NYU, Seton Hall, St. Johns, and Harvard.
Two MSLAW teams went on to compete at the National Finals in Houston with the 15 other winners from the remaining five regions across the United States as Harvard, due to scheduling conflicts, sent only one team to the finals. In 2008, when MSLAW also advanced four teams to the quarterfinals and took the top four spots in the regional competition, it went on to compete in the National Finals of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in Detroit where MSLAW finished third in the country losing only to the national champion.

MSLAW team members are James Ezeigwe, Jamal Johnson, Morjietta Derisier, Candace Robinson, Kellie Tiller, James Hester, Nick Carbone, Katisha Cunningham, James Sankan, Janet Raheb, Chantelle Hashem, Nisha Mungroo, Darryl Caffee, Allenston Sheridan, Tradia Vereen, and Felicia Robinson. Associate Dean Michael Coyne, Professor Dan Harayda, Attorney Darius Greene, and Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Gillespie serve as the coaches of MSL’s Trial Advocacy team.

This year MSLAW was not as fortunate and could not gather enough victories to advance to the National Quarterfinals despite great advocacy by all of the team members. This is the fourth time in five years that MSLAW teams advanced to the National Finals. In the last six years in the Thurgood Marshall Trial Advocacy Competition, MSLAW teams have finished in 3rd place four times, 2nd place twice, and 1st place once. MSLAW students have also won the best advocate award of the competition in 2007, 2008, and 2009. As she did in 2010, Harvard student Ieshaah Murphy won the best advocate award with a perfect score despite strong competition from MSLAW students Kellie Tiller, Nick Carbone, and James Sankan.

In praising the team’s performance, Dean Coyne said, “This team displayed great intelligence, command of the law and the rules of Evidence. Their professionalism was outstanding and was recognized by the judges as well as fellow competitors. There is no shame in losing to an equally talented team as that from Harvard. Our team members are truly among the very best law students in the United States. It was a pleasure to see the team demonstrate their significant knowledge and command of the law. They will be great lawyers who will serve their communities well.”

[2010] The Trial Advocacy Team from the Massachusetts School of Law Wins Third Place in the 2010 Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition and for the Third Time in Four Years Will Compete in the National Finals with the Other Regional Winners

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE COMPETITION

The MSLAW AAJ Student Chapter is an organization for students who have an interest in developing trial skills. It is affiliated with the American Association for Justice. AAJ offers workshops on issues such as opening and closing statements, admitting evidence, and trial strategy, and also fields a team to represent Massachusetts School of Law at a national level trial competition

Massachusetts School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Program advanced a team to the semifinals while its other team tied for 4th place at the American Association for Justice regional competition held in Boston and Cambridge. MSLAW’s 4th place team did not advance to the semifinals as it narrowly lost the tiebreaker through total points scored of 214-209. Teams from law schools throughout New England as well as the University of Baltimore Law School competed in the New England regional matches of the American Association for Justice Trial Competition to determine which team would
advance to the national finals in West Palm Beach in April.

Two teams from MSLAW competed at the regional competition that took place in Boston and Cambridge. Team members are Matt Lallier, Lisa Gilman, Jesse Burch, Lonnie McCaffrey, Lisa Ferreira, Victoria Dickinson, John Kimball, David Jaffe, Debra LaCamera and Heidi Porter. The teams faced stiff competition throughout the
competition, especially from the University of Connecticut Law School, which won the competition in both 2005 and 2006, and from Suffolk University Law School.

Suffolk University Law School prevailed in the semifinals over MSLAW team members Matt Lallier, Lisa Gilman, Jesse Burch and Lonnie McCaffrey. Suffolk University Law School went on to win the competition. MSLAW’s team that tied for fourth place was comprised of Victoria Dickinson, Lisa Ferreira, David Jaffe, and John Kimball. Professor Anthony Copani and Associate Dean Michael Coyne head MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy
Program and they coached the teams along with Professor Dan Harayda and Professor Robert Armano.MSLAW’s teams displayed a mastery of the law and rules of evidence in a negligence medical malpractice trial. MSLAW’s teams demonstrated outstanding advocacy skills
in presenting both the Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s case. In praising the team’s performance, Professor Copani said that he was “pleased that the team could present such a compelling case in such as thoughtful and persuasive way. Their mastery of the art of advocacy was impressive. As their professor, I stand in awe of their talents.”

Dean Coyne said, “The School is very proud of our teams’ efforts and the success this year of MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy Program. It is a pleasure to see this team do so well, as I know how hard they worked to achieve success. It is very well deserved. The entire faculty and administration are pleased in knowing that no matter where are students go to participate against other law schools, be it Newark, Boston, Cambridge or in Detroit or Washington in the spring, that our students will continue to excel and
demonstrate their skills and the strengths of MSLAW’s educational program. We are enormously proud of them.”

The entire Massachusetts School of Law community congratulates the team on its performance at the 2008 AAJ Trial
Competition!

Massachusetts School of Law Trial Advocacy Team Takes 3rd Place at the National NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in Detroit

Massachusetts School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Team captured 3rd
place at the national finals of the 2008 Thurgood Marshall Mock
Trial Competition of the National Black Law Students Association.
MSLAW’s team had previously won the Northeast region
championship. The Northeast region is comprised of the 33 law
schools in New England, New York, and northern New Jersey.
MSLAW sent two teams to the national competition in Detroit,
Michigan as their teams had finished in the top four spots in the
Northeast region. The two winners from the six regions copete for
the national championship, which was held in Detroit this year. The
other participating regional winners included, The University of
Virginia Law School, The University of Miami School of Law,
DePaul Law School, The University of California at Los Angeles
School of Law and Texas Tech School of Law. MSLAW team
members are Rebecca Jadach, Karen Lucien, Dayo Aina, Nicole
Dion, Jonas Pierre, Andre Cayo, Anne Hemingway, Alicia Kenney-
Montero, Darius Greene, Allen Woodward, Daniel Occena,
Stephen Kearney, David Walker, Kimberly Gillespie, Mirlande
Joachim, and Ida Candreva. Associate Dean Michael Coyne,
attorney and Professor Dan Harayda and Middlesex County
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Filippetti serve as the coaches
of MSLAW’s Trial Advocacy team.

The 2008 national finals featured a trial involving a murder that
occurred as a result of an abusive relationship. The case had
complex and technical evidentiary and constitutional issues that the students addressed both from a standpoint of expertise and advocacy. The trials were held in the Frank J. Murphy Courthouse in Detroit and were all highly competitive. The trial judges applauded MSLAW’s teams throughout the competition for their impressive advocacy and high level of professionalism. Both MSLAW teams were prosecutors during the morning preliminary round and switched to the defense in the afternoon preliminary round. In the morning, MSLAW students Jonas Pierre, Andre Cayo, Anne Hemingway and Alicia Kenney-Montero represented the government against the defendant who was represented by a team from the University of Miami School of Law. Fellow MSLAW students Ida Candreva, Mirlande Joachim, Allen Woodward and Kim Gillespie represented the government against a team from the UCLA School of Law representing the defendant.

At 2008’s competition MSLAW defeated teams from some of the best trial advocacy programs in the United States as they advanced through the competition. MSLAW’s team was the fourth ranked team after the conclusion of the preliminary rounds of the trials and became the top ranked team as a result of their performance in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, despite a flawless performance by Ida Candreva, Mirlande Joachim, Allen Woodward and Kim Gillespie, MSLAW’s team lost in the semifinals to Faulkner University School of Law who then beat Texas Tech School of Law to capture the national championship. The award for best trial advocate of the competition went to a University of Virginia team member. Georgetown University Law School won more awards than any other school in the Moot Court Competition, and Boston College Law School won best brief in the Moot Court Competition also held at Detroit during the BLSA convention.

MSLAW’s team advanced to the national finals in both 2007 and 2008 to face teams from some of the best trial advocacy programs in the United States.

Coaches Harayda and Filippetti praised team members for their diligence and professionalism. In praising the team’s performance, Dean Coyne said, “It is impressive to see how this team came together over the last year, mastering evidence and the art of advocacy to become great trial lawyers. That they could accomplish so much both at the regional and national level is a tribute to their intelligence and deep commitment to excelling at the study of law. To see the team personify the practical approach to the study of law to the point where they do not simply do well but excel against some of the other great law schools in this country makes us especially proud. I have said many times that I would match the talents of our law students against those of anyone’s in the country, when they are we see their impressive results.”