Four members of the Trial Team were crowned champions of the Regional American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition on March 3.

3Ls Teresa Benavides-Sexton, Alisa Thammavong and Mara Hershberger and 2L Kim Kaelin won the regional competition in Washington, D.C., where teams from American University, Catholic University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, Temple University, the University of Maryland, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia also took part.

This is the third time in four years that students from the Kline School of Law claimed the regional AAJ crown. In 2016, four Kline students went on to win the national championship.

“These four women demonstrated tremendous poise and skill in a competition that demands the very best,” said Abbie Heller, assistant director of the Trial Advocacy program. “They worked very hard, and it showed.”

The team was coached by Heller, Professor Gwen Roseman Stern, director of the Trial Advocacy program and attorney James Waldenberger, a partner at Kline & Specter.  

The students will take part in the national competition in April, which will be held in Philadelphia.