Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law wins National Championship in the Thurgood Marshall National Mock Trial Competition
March 31, 2008
On Saturday, March 29, 2008, a team of law students representing Faulkner University's Thomas Goode Jones School of Law won the National Championship in the Thurgood Marshall National Mock Trial Competition in Detroit, Michigan. Third-year law students Monica Jackson and Courtney Joiner and second-year law students George Bulls and Mary Alexander-Oliver, all members of the Ernestine S. Sapp BLSA chapter at Jones, defeated Texas Tech School of Law in the final round to win the national championship.
The Thurgood Marshall National Mock Trial Competition is an annual trial tournament organized by the National Black Law Students Association and sponsored by the New York based law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavin. Law schools participate in six regional competitions around the country and the regional champions move on to the national final rounds. Faulkner’s team won the Southern Region Championship in January before competing in the national final rounds in Detroit last weekend.
This year’s national competition simulated a criminal trial. The team members were scored by members of the bench and bar on their ability to present opening statements, closing arguments, direct and cross examinations, pre-trial motions and courtroom demeanor and professionalism.
The team’s coach, Luevonda Ross, Associate Professor of Law traveled with the team to Detroit and observed their performance. “I was very pleased and proud of our students. They were poised and nothing rattled them in the heat of the battle. This is a well-deserved honor.”
“This victory caps off a very successful year for our student advocates,” according to Professor Robert McFarland, Director of Advocacy Programs at Jones Law School. “In addition to this national championship, our students have won three regional championships in trial advocacy, earned awards for best brief and best oral advocate in regional moot court competitions and earned a number of other individual advocacy awards.”
“We are very proud of our students and congratulate them on their success,” said Charles Nelson, Dean of Jones School of Law.