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UK Law Mock Trial Team Tops Intrastate Competition

LEXINGTON, Ky. (November 21, 2006) – A University of Kentucky College of Law mock trial team placed first in the annual Kentucky Tri-School Mock Trial Competition held Friday and Saturday, November 18 through Nov. 19 in Covington, Ky. Third-year UK College of Law students Joseph Allison and Melissa Thompson defeated a competitive field of teams from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and the Chase College of Law. Joseph Allison was also named Best Advocate of the competition.

The winning team was coached by UK College of Law Associate Professor Allison Connelly. C onnelly developed the annual competition eight years ago between the three Kentucky law schools in an effort to raise the level of student trial advocacy competency.

“Every student who participates in this competition is a winner and so are their future clients. These students know what to do in a real courtroom, before a real judge, when a real client is standing next to them. They understand the level of preparation that is required to represent someone with excellence,” said Connelly. After graduation, many of these students go on to serve Kentucky communities as trial lawyers. “The integrity of our system of justice in the Commonwealth is heavily dependent upon the production of competent legal practitioners by the State's three law schools.”

Mock trial tournaments give second and third-year law students the opportunity to hone their courtroom skills. During the tournament , students litigate both sides of a civil or criminal case using an unchanging set of facts. They make pretrial motions, openings and closings, examine witnesses and present evidence. A number of prominent Kentucky trial attorneys serve as judges at the event.

UK College of Law students have won the competition six times since it's inception eight years ago.

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