UNIVERSITY OF DENVER COLLEGE OF LAW NAMED CHAMPION OF LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL’S NATIONAL CIVIL TRIAL COMPETITION

Los Angeles, CA - The University of Denver College of Law was named champion of Loyola Law School’s second annual National Civil Trial Competition at an awards banquet held Saturday, November 15, 2003 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The winning team included Brian Domingues, Liz Elliot, Reggy Short and Ben Winters. They were awarded a permanent trophy for their school, as well as a traveling trophy which will be passed on to future champions. By a unanimous vote, Ben Winters, from the University of Denver, was named Best Advocate/Final Rounds; and Reggy Short, also from the University of Denver, was named Best Advocate/Preliminary Rounds.

The National Civil Trial Competition was created by Loyola to give second and third year law students an opportunity to develop and display the skills of a successful civil litigator, and is directed by Loyola Law School Prof. Susan Poehls. From its inception in 2002, the competition has been sponsored by the Santa Monica, Calif. law firm of Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler, LLP. Fourteen ABA-accredited law schools participated in this year’s competition, which ran November 13 - 15, 2003. Each school sent a four-person team and argued a hypothetical wrongful death lawsuit taken from the headlines, with all students required to argue both sides of the case, and to role-play as parties and witnesses.

The elimination rounds took place at the U.S. District Courthouse in Los Angeles, with Campbell University School of Law, State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Syracuse University College of Law and University of Denver of College of Law all qualifying for the semi-finals. The final round found Syracuse teaming up against Denver, and was argued at Loyola’s Albert H. Girardi Advocacy Center. Syracuse received the Finalist trophy, and Semi-Finalist trophies were awarded to SUNY at Buffalo and Campbell University School of Law.

More than 120 trial lawyers participated as tournament judges, including many Loyola Law School alumni and partners from some of Los Angeles’ top litigation firms. Judges for the final round included: Tom Girardi, Robert Shapiro, Tim Wheeler, Bernard LeSage, Suzanne Tracy and Michael Avenatti, as well as United States Magistrate Judge, Patrick Walsh.

“The rounds were extremely competitive, with students displaying the advocacy skills and courtroom presence usually seen only in experienced litigators,” said Prof. Poehls. “Their intensity and commitment to the trial advocacy process was compelling and certainly made Loyola’s second National Civil Trial Competition a success from every perspective. With Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler as our sponsor, this competition is quickly earning a reputation as one of the premiere competitions of its kind among law schools throughout the United States.”

“Loyola’s competition gives students an unparalleled opportunity to hone their advocacy skills and test their mettle as litigators,” said Timothy J. Wheeler, managing partner of Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler, LLP, “and is what originally motivated us to sponsor the National Civil Trial Competition. We continue to be impressed with the caliber of students who participate in this event, and we were particularly struck by the professionalism exhibited by this year’s competitors. Our firm looks forward to next year’s contest, and is proud to endorse a program that supports our belief that early training is critical to the making of good trial lawyers and a sound legal system.”