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Drexel Kline School of Law Trial Team

Trial Team Celebration 2016

Drexel University Kline School of Law trial team has won four national championships and ranks in the top ten in Trial Competition Performance Rankings. Additionally, Drexel Kline Law has been the regional champion of the National Trial Competition, the oldest and most prestigious tournament in the country, eight times in eight years.

Trial Team Successes by Academic Year

2023-2024

  • National Semi-Finalist, Amicus Cup National Trial Competition, hosted by UNLV Law, April 2024
  • Regional Champion, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2024
  • Regional Finalist, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2024
  • Quarter Finalist, Queen’s County District Attorney’s Office National Trial Competition, March 2024
  • Regional Finalist, National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, February 2024
  • National Champion, The Verdict National Jury Trial Competition, hosted by the UCLA School of Law, October 2023
  • National Semi-Finalist, National Medical-Legal Trial Competition, hosted by the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, October 2023

2022-2023

  • National Runner-Up, Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, hosted by Baylor Law School, June 2023
  • National Champion, Amicus Cup National Trial Competition, hosted by UNLV Law, April 2023
  • Regional Champion, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2023
  • Finalist, Queen’s County District Attorney’s Office National Trial Competition, March 2023
  • Regional Finalists, National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, February 2023
  • Regional Finalists, National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, February 2023
  • Honorable Mention, National Civil Trial Competition, hosted by Loyola Law School, November 2022
  • Honorable Mention, Tournament of Champions, sponsored by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, October 2022
  • Honorable Mention, All Star Bracket Challenge, hosted by multiple law schools, October 2022
  • Finalist, National Flash Trial Competition hosted by the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, September 2022

2021-2022

  • Regional Finalists, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2022
  • Regional Champions, National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, February 2022
  • Regional Finalists, National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, February 2022
  • Semi-Finalists, Florida National Trial Advocacy Tournament, hosted by The University of Florida Levin College of Law, February 2022
  • Regional Champions, All Star Bracket Challenge, hosted by multiple law schools, October 2021

2020-2021

  • National Quarter Finalist, National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, April 2021
  • National Semifinalist, Capitol City Challenge hosted by American University Washington College of Law, March 2021
  • Regional Champions (two teams), National Trial Competition hosted by Texas Young Lawyers Association, February
  • National Finalist, Summit Cup, hosted by University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, October 2020

2019-2020

  • Regional Champions and Regional Semi-Finalists, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, February 2020
  • National Champions, Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. Invitational Trial Competition, Fordham University, November 2019
  • National Semi-Finalists, Tournament of Champions, sponsored by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, October 2019

2018-2019

  • National Quarter Finalists, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, April 2019
  • Regional Champions, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2019
  • National Semi-Finalists, Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. Invitational Trial Competition, Fordham University, November 2018
  • National Finalist, Summit Cup, hosted by University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, October 2018

2017-2018

  • National Champion, Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, hosted by Baylor Law School, June 2018
  • National Quarter Finalists, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, April 2018
  • Regional Champions, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2018
  • Regional Champions, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, February 2018
  • National Champions, Tournament of Champions, sponsored by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, November 2017

2016-2017

  • National Champion, Capitol City Challenge hosted by American University Washington College of Law, March 2017
  • Regional Semi-Finalists, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2017
  • Regional Champions, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, February 2017
  • National Champions, Tournament of Champions, sponsored by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, October 2016
  • National Semi-Finalists, Golden Gate University “In Vino Veritas” Competition, October 2016

2015-2016

  • National Semi-Finalist, Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, June 2016 (by invitation only)
  • National Champions, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, April 2016
  • Regional Champions and Regional Finalists, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, February 2016

2014-2015

  • Regional Champions, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, February 2015

2013-2014

  • Regional Semi-Finalists, American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2014
  • Regional Semi-Finalists and Finalists, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, March 2014
  • National Semi-finalists, Puerto Rico Trial Advocacy Competition, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law, Oct. 2013

2012-2013

  • National Champions, Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. Invitational Trial Competition, Fordham University, Oct. 2012
  • National Semi-finalists, Peter James Johnson National Civil Rights Trial Competition, St. John's University School of Law, Oct. 2012

2011-2012

  • National Semi-Finalist, Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, June 2012 (by invitation only)
  • National Semi-Finalists and Regional Champions, Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, March 2012
  • Regional Finalists, American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, March 2012
  • Regional Semi-Finalists and Best Oral Advocate, (second team), Texas Young Lawyers Association Trial Team Competition, March 2012 

Coaches

Professor Stern, Philip Pasquarello and some of Philadelphia's leading trial lawyers coach the teams:

  • William Booth, Attorney at Marc J Bern & Partners LLP
  • Clarke Doig, State and Local Tax Associate at Reed Smith LLP
  • Grace Grimes, Attorney at Kline & Specter, PC
  • Dani Kunkel, Associate at Jones Day
  • Frannie McDermott, Associate at Buchannan, Ingersoll, & Rooney PC
  • Jess Pasquarello, Associate at Clark Hill
  • Phil Pasquarello, Attorney at Kline & Specter, PC
  • Tim Rock, Attorney at Morgan & Morgan
  • Theresa Topping, Associate at Blank Rome
  • Bee Schaffer, Assistant Public Defender at Delaware Office of Defense Services
  • Deeksha Walia, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • Ellie Wallace

Students who have completed prerequisite courses can compete for a place on the Trial Team through an audition process. Working with teammates and coaches who are experienced trial attorneys, students refine their skills in opening and closing arguments, direct and cross-examination of witnesses and creating and introducing state-of-the-art trial exhibits.