Call for 2022 National Trial Competition Region 2 Judges!
See the tab ‘2022 Competition’ for more info
For over 40 years, the Trial Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association has had the privilege of sponsoring the New York Regional Round of the National Trial Competition, the country’s oldest and most prestigious mock trial competition for law students. The National Trial Competition (NTC) was established in 1975 to encourage and strengthen students’ advocacy skills through quality competition and valuable interaction with members of the bench and bar. The program is co-sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and is designed to expose law students to the nature of trial practice and to serve as a supplement to their education.
The competition attracts teams from more than 140 law schools and involves more than 1,000 law students each year.
The NTC requires teams of law students to try an entire case before a presiding judge and a panel of lawyers. The students must argue motions in limine, make an opening statement, offer evidence in support of their case, perform direct and cross examination of witnesses, and present a closing argument.
The Trial Lawyers Section presents two special awards in honor of individuals who have been instrumental in the organization and administration of the Trial Competition over the years: the Antony DeMarco, Jr. Award for Best Overall Advocate, and the Travis HD Lewin Award for Best Coach. Both Anthony DeMarco and Professor Travis Lewin were from Syracuse Law School and had dedicated years of service to the NTC because they believed that the competition afforded young lawyers and law students an invaluable opportunity to learn the skills needed to be a trial lawyer.
In addition, several individual awards are presented during the competition, based on the scores each student receives during the trials in which they compete. These awards are presented to the law students during a reception held in conjunction with the event and are recognized for:
- Best Opening Statement
- Best Direct Examination
- Best Cross Examination
- Best Closing Argument
The Trial Lawyers Section also presents awards to the winning schools.
The 2022 National Trial Competition Regional Tournament was hosted by Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Advocacy. The Region 2 competition took place virtually via Zoom on Friday, February 4th 2022, through Sunday, February 6, 2022, Twenty-threes teams, representing thirteen law schools participated.
The Quarter Finals took place on Saturday, February 5th. The following schools advanced to the semi-finals:
Fordham University School of Law (x2)
Brooklyn Law School (x2)
St. Johns University School of Law
New York University School of Law
Yale Law School
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
The Semi-Finals took place on Sunday, February 6th. The following schools advanced to the semi-finals:
Fordham University School of Law (x2)
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
New York University School of Law
The finals were held virtually on Sunday, February 6th. Advancing to the final rounds were:
Fordham University School of Law (x2)
Additional information to include winners of the Trial Competition will be announced soon!
More information can be found at https://tyla.org/ntc/
2021 National Trial Competition
The National Trial Competition Regional Tournament was run by Fordham University School of Law on behalf of the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers. The competition was held virtually this year beginning in February. The Region 2 competition took place on Thursday, February 18, 2021, through Sunday, February 21, 2021, over the Zoom video conference platform. Twenty-teams teams, representing thirteen law schools participated.
The Semi-Finals took place on Sunday, February 20. The following schools advanced to the semi-finals:
Syracuse University (team 1)
Syracuse University (team 2)
Hofstra
St. Johns
Yale
Brooklyn
Cardozo
New York Law
The finals will be held virtually April 7-11, 2021. Advancing to the final rounds are:
Hofstra
Syracuse (team 1)
Syracuse (team 2)
St. Johns
More information can be found at https://tyla.org/ntc/
THE NYSBA Trial Lawyers Section
Congratulates
the winners of our Regional National Trial Competition
Champion Team
Syracuse University College of Law
Champion Awards
Marina DeRosa, Syracuse University College of Law
Amanda Nardozza, Syracuse University College of Law
Co-Champion Awards:
Joseph Celotto, Syracuse University College of Law
Christy O’Neill, Syracuse University College of Law
Best Opening Statement:
Justin Gendler, Yeshiva University – Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Best Direct Examination:
Jasmine Johnson, St. John’s University School of Law
Best Cross-Examination
Micaela Cisneros-Nunez, Yeshiva University – Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Christy O’Neill, Syracuse University College of Law
Best Closing Argument:
Ryanne Bamieh, Yale Law School
Marina DeRosa, Syracuse University College of Law
Erica Dombrowski, University of Buffalo School of Law
Sandra Jovic, St. Johns University School of Law
Laruen Pasqua, University of Florida – Levin School of Law
Daniel Voronin, New York Law School
Anthony J. Demarco, Jr. Best Advocate in the Preliminary Rounds
Zachary Hadd, New York University School of Law
Travis H.D. Lewin Best Coaches Awards
Joanne VanDyke, Syracuse University College of Law
Peter Hakes, Syracuse University College of Law
The 2020 Regional Trial Competition was held in Syracuse, New York from February 14th to February 16th. On February 14th and 15th the first and second rounds were conducted at the Onondaga County Courthouse, and on February 16th, the Semi Final Rounds took place in Dinnen Hall at Syracuse University College of Law. The Semifinal trials took place in the Melanie Grey Ceremonial Courtroom and the Bond, Schoeneck & King Courtroom.
There were 20 teams that participated from New York. Brooklyn, UB, Cardozo, Fordham, Hofstra, NYU, Pace, St. Johns’s and Syracuse each had two teams that competed in the competition. Cornell and New York Law had single teams competing.
The 2020 NTC Final Rounds were set to be hosted in Fort Worth, Texas on April 1-5th, however in response to the declared Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this years’ National Trial Competition had been cancelled.
The Awards for the 2020 Regional Trial Competition are:
Winning School
Syracuse University School of Law: Adam Leydig, Joseph Celotto and Tyler Jefferies
Champion of the Region II Tournament
Adam Leydig
Adam Leydig graduated from Syracuse University College of Law in 2020. He is from Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania. During his years at Syracuse Law, he was won the Tiffany Cup in both 2019 and 2020. Additionally, he placed 5th at Baylor Law’s Top Gun competition in 2020, finished 3rd at the 2019 Tournament of Champions competition, and was a quarterfinalist at the NTC National competition in 2019. During those competitions, Adam was awarded the 2020 International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award, an Order of the Barristers, Best Opening Statement at the 2020 NTC Regional, Best Overall Advocate in the Preliminary Rounds at TOC in 2019, Best Cross Examination at NTC 2019, and Best Overall Advocate for Region 2 in 2019. Currently, Adam is waiting to take the Pennsylvania Bar and has accepted a position as an associate at a Harrisburg criminal defense firm.
Champion of the Region II Tournament
Joseph Celotto
Champion of the Region II Tournament
Tyler Jefferies
Co-Champion of the Region II Tournament
Ariel Blanco, Syracuse University
Ariel Blanco was born in Miami, Florida. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Mississippi. He served in the United States Navy Reserve and deployed to the Middle East in 2016. As a law student at Syracuse University, he was a member of the National Trial Team. His team finished 3rd at the Tournament of Champions and won the National Trial Competition regional. He earned membership in the Order of the Barristers. He graduated from Syracuse in May 2020. Ariel is currently a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and upon admission to the New York bar will serve on active duty as a Judge Advocate.
Co-Champion of the Region II Tournament
Christy O’Neill
Christy O’Neil is a third year law student at Syracuse University College of Law. Along with her teammates, Christy finished third in the 2019 Tournament of Champions competition and advanced to nationals in the 2020 National Trial Competition. In addition, Christy was a semifinalist in the 2020 National Online Trial Advocacy Competition where she competed against 170 students from 67 law schools. Currently, Christy is a member of the 2020 Tournament of Champions trial team and Syracuse Law Review.
Co-Champion of the Region II Tournament
Lisa Cole
Lisa J. Cole is a joint degree JD/MBA student at Syracuse University. Upon graduation, Lisa will be joining Cahill, Gordon, & Reindel LLP in Manhattan. Lisa competed in the Tournament of Champions and the National Trial Competition her 2L year–she attributes her success to her trial partner, Ariel. Outside of trial team Lisa is the Business Editor of the Law Review and Treasurer of the Women’s Law Student Association.
Best Opening Statement:
Adam Leydig, Syracuse University College of Law
Best Direct Examination:
Sandra Jovic, St. Johns University
Sandra Jovic is a third-year student at St. John’s Law School, where she competes with the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and serves as its External Competitions Director. Before competing at the Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competition last spring, winning Best Direct Examination, Ms. Jovic helped her team advance to the final round at Quinnipiac’s Trial Advocacy Competition. At Quinnipiac, she was awarded Best Direct Examination and was recognized as runner up Best Overall Advocate at the tournament. Before that, she competed four years with Fordham Lincoln Center’s mock trial team, winning a number of individual awards. As someone who has interned at various prosecutorial offices, as well as the Legal Aid Society, Ms. Jovic is constantly thinking about the role of the prosecutor in the criminal justice system. This past summer, she interned with the New York County District Attorney’s Office as a law fellow in Special Narcotics. In October, her team will compete at the National All Star Bracket Challenge.”
Best Cross-Examination
Matthew Philips, St. Johns University
Best Closing Argument:
Quinton Weinstein, New York University
Anthony J. DeMarco, Jr., Best Advocate Award
Joseph Celotto, Syracuse University
Joe Celotto hails from a little town called Elma, outside of Buffalo, NY. Joe attended Nazareth College of Rochester, where he enrolled in their 3+3 program. This had the effect of sending him to law school before he could legally drink; depriving him of a vital law school coping mechanism for a few months. Joe is now a 3rd year law student at Syracuse University College of Law. In the fall of 2019, he was able to compete in his hometown in the Buffalo-Niagara Trial Competition; his team finishing in third place. Following this, Joe competed in the 2020 National Trial Competition, where he and his teammates won the northeast regional competition. Joe also won best advocate in the final round in that competition. Joe is set to compete in the National Civil Trial Competition in 2020.
Travis H.D. Lewin Best Coaches Awards
Joanne VanDyke, Syracuse University College of Law
Joanne Van Dyke was a founding partner in Cotè & Van Dyke, LLP, a firm which specializes in helping victims and their families in medical malpractice, products liability & personal injury. She has held positions on the Board of Directors of the Onondaga County Bar Association, the Assigned Counsel Program, and the Central New York Women’s Bar Association.
In 1987, Ms. Van Dyke graduated from Syracuse Law, and in 2004, she began teaching at Syracuse University College of Law. In 2009, Ms. Van Dyke received a LLM in Trial Advocacy from Temple University, Beasley School of Law.
Ms. Van Dyke has been actively involved in the Syracuse Trial Advocacy Program, which is one of the top ranked programs according to U.S. News & World Reports. In 1996, she began coaching the Syracuse National Trial Teams. She has hosted various trial competitions, and is the co-director of the Syracuse National Trial Competition. Since 2014, Ms. Van Dyke has been on the Board of Directors of the Tournament of Champions. According to Ms. Van Dyke, the law school’s trial advocacy program “helps law students take their knowledge of the law and apply it to real problems presented by clients in a mock trial competition setting. The students are able to develop the skills of interviewing and counseling clients, writing about their legal issues, and learning how to effectively and ethically educate their clients position in and out of the court room.
Peter Hakes, Syracuse University College of Law
Peter has been an Assistant District Attorney in Syracuse, New York since April of 2014. He presently prosecutes crimes against children and incidents of domestic violence. Originally from Western New York, Peter attended St. John Fisher College, in Rochester, and the University of Buffalo Law School, in Amherst. He competed on several trial teams and graduated in 2004. Soon after graduating from law school, Peter began coaching mock trial teams at the high school level and evaluating trial competitions. He feels blessed to be able to continue teaching future trial lawyers at Syracuse University College of Law with the encouragement and guidance of extraordinary administrators, professors, coaches and students. Peter is married to his college sweetheart, Becky, and has two kids, Robbie and Ella. “Every day, my family reminds me that despite my love for the courtroom, my life…our lives go far beyond witness stands and jury boxes. I believe, we need to leave the world better than we found it. One small way I can try to do just that is to follow the advice of my trial team coaches back at UBLaw and ’give back’.” Peter extends his sincere thanks for this great honor. In his professional career, it pales only to those moments when he has seen his team members begin to realize their true potential. He says those moments are what keeps him coming back.
2019
Co-Champion Teams
Syracuse University College of Law: Dennis Scanlon, Adam Leydig
Brooklyn School of Law: Kayla Smith, Michael Nesheiwat
First Lieutenant Dennis T. Scanlon is a commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. He was born in Syracuse, NY in May 1992. After graduating magna cum laude from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2015, he received a full-ride scholarship to attend Syracuse University College of Law as a College of Law Trustees Scholar.
While attending law school, Dennis dedicated much of his time to developing his trial advocacy skills and competing in trial competitions throughout the country. A few highlights include receiving the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award and the NYSBA Tiffany Cup Award, as well as being inducted into the Order of Barristers. He also worked federal appeals cases at a small law firm, and he volunteered as a Pro Bono Legal Intern.
In 2018, Dennis joined the Marine Corps in order to serve and practice law as a judge advocate (JAG). After swearing into the New York State Bar in January 2020, he worked at the Pentagon in Judge Advocate Division, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps. Soon, he will attend Naval Justice School in Newport, RI, where he will undergo training that will allow him to act as trial or defense counsel at military courts-martial.
Dennis is married to Erika Scanlon, and together they have two children, Kennedy (6) and Addison (2), and they are expecting their third child in December 2020. He is a coffee enthusiast and a dedicated runner, and he enjoys road trips with his family.
Adam Leydig graduated from Syracuse University College of Law in 2020. He is from Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania. During his years at Syracuse Law, he was won the Tiffany Cup in both 2019 and 2020. Additionally, he placed 5th at Baylor Law’s Top Gun competition in 2020, finished 3rd at the 2019 Tournament of Champions competition, and was a quarterfinalist at the NTC National competition in 2019. During those competitions, Adam was awarded the 2020 International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award, an Order of the Barristers, Best Opening Statement at the 2020 NTC Regional, Best Overall Advocate in the Preliminary Rounds at TOC in 2019, Best Cross Examination at NTC 2019, and Best Overall Advocate for Region 2 in 2019. Currently, Adam is waiting to take the Pennsylvania Bar and has accepted a position as an associate at a Harrisburg criminal defense firm.
Winning School
Syracuse University College of Law, Dennis Scanlon, Adam Leydig
Champion of the Region II Tournament
Dennis Scanlon
Champion of the Region II Tournament
Adam Leydig
Travis H.D. Lewin Best Coaches Award
Joanne VanDyke, Syracuse University College of Law
Joanne Van Dyke was a founding partner in Cotè & Van Dyke, LLP, a firm which specializes in helping victims and their families in medical malpractice, products liability & personal injury. She has held positions on the Board of Directors of the Onondaga County Bar Association, the Assigned Counsel Program, and the Central New York Women’s Bar Association.
In 1987, Ms. Van Dyke graduated from Syracuse Law, and in 2004, she began teaching at Syracuse University College of Law. In 2009, Ms. Van Dyke received a LLM in Trial Advocacy from Temple University, Beasley School of Law.
Ms. Van Dyke has been actively involved in the Syracuse Trial Advocacy Program, which is one of the top ranked programs according to U.S. News & World Reports. In 1996, she began coaching the Syracuse National Trial Teams. She has hosted various trial competitions, and is the co-director of the Syracuse National Trial Competition. Since 2014, Ms. Van Dyke has been on the Board of Directors of the Tournament of Champions. According to Ms. Van Dyke, the law school’s trial advocacy program “helps law students take their knowledge of the law and apply it to real problems presented by clients in a mock trial competition setting. The students are able to develop the skills of interviewing and counseling clients, writing about their legal issues, and learning how to effectively and ethically educate their clients position in and out of the court room.
Anthony J. DeMarco Best Advocate Award
Adam Leydig, Syracuse University College of Law
2018
Winning School
St. Johns University: Laureen Bousmail, Derpa Devnathan, Jason Driscoll
Travis H.D. Lewin Best Coaches Awards
Brian Hughes, New York University
Anthony J. DeMarco Best Advocate Award
Maddalone Xu, New York University
2017
Co-Champion Teams
St. Johns Law
Brooklyn Law
Best Opening Statement
Arielle Cummings, St. Johns Law
Best Direct Examination
Loreen Bousmail, NYU Law
Best Cross-Examination
Loreen Bousmail, NY Law
Best Closing Argument
Loreen Bousmail, NYU Law
Best Overall Advocate Through the Preliminary Rounds
Sean Brucker, Hofstra Law
Anthony J. DeMarco Best Advocate Award
Christopher Clark, Syracuse Law
Travis H.D. Lewin Best Coaches Awards
Brooklyn Law School
2016
Co-Champion Teams
Syracuse University School of Law: Carly Halpin, Joe Gattuso and Cory Schoonmaker
Hofstra School of Law: Lauren Reilly, Helene Weiss and Sean Brucker
Best Opening Statement
Rahul Hari, NYU Law
Samantha Oakes: Brooklyn Law
3Helene Weiss, Hofstra Law
Best Direct Examination
Evan Jaffe, St. Johns Law
Carly Halpin, Syracuse Law
Samantha Oakes, Brooklyn Law
Best Cross-Examination
Justin St. Louis, Syracuse Law
Andrew Mark, Buffalo Law
Wyatt Smith, Cornell Law
Brianne Richards, Hofstra Law
Best Closing Argument
1. Lauren Reilly, Hofstra Law
2. Phil Schultze, Brooklyn Law
3. Austin Minogue, Brooklyn Law
Dan Rosenbaum, Fordham Law
Justin St. Louis, Syracuse Law
Best Advocate Through the Preliminary Rounds
Justin St. Louis, Syracuse Law
Anthony J. DeMarco Best Advocate Award
Lauren Reilly, Hofstra Law School
Travis H.D. Lewin Best Coaches Awards
Jared Rosenblatt, Gerard McClosky and Courtney Charles, Hofstra Law School
2015
Travis H.D. Lewin Coach Award: Courtney Charles, Gerard McCloskey, Jared Rosenblatt (Hofstra University School of Law)
Steven Michelen Brooklyn School of Law Best Advocate
Sylvia Dai Brooklyn School of Law Best Advocate Through Preliminary Rounds
Christopher Berloth Buffalo School of Law Best Cross-Examination
Amanda Russo New York University School of Law Best Direct Examination
Jennifer Camillo Syracuse School of Law Best Direct Examination
Andres Sanchez Hofstra School of Law Best Opening Statement
Aaron Spurlock Hofstra School of Law Best Closing Argument
2014
Syracuse University School of Law Trial Advocacy Team (1st Place) Jennifer A. Camillo, Jason J. Krisza, Frank A. Deluccia, Meghan A. McGrattan Coaches: Dmitriy Chernyy, Joseph S. Cote III, Jeffrey G. Leibo, Joanne Van Dyke
St. John’s University School of Law Trial Advocacy Team (2nd Place) Adam Papas, Michael Schillinger Coaches: Eylan Schulman, Kareem Vessup
Travis H.D. Lewin Coach Award: Dmitriy Chernyy, Joseph S. Cote III, Jeffrey G. Leibo, Joanne Van Dyke (Syracuse University School of Law)
Morgan C. McKinney Syracuse University School of Law Overall Best Advocate
Prescott Loveland Fordham University School of Law Best Overall Advocate Through Preliminary Rounds
Aaron Spurlock Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University Best Cross-Examination
Amy L. Cassidy Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law University Best Direct Examination
Joseph L. Nicastro SUNY Buffalo Law School Best Opening
2013
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University Trial Advocacy Team (1st Place): Kaitlyn Flynn, Jana McNulty, George Michel IV, Jared Rosenblatt, Coach, Gerard McCloskey, Coach
Fordham University School of Law Trial Advocacy Team (2nd Place): Brittany Russell, Graham Amodeo; Adam Shlahet, Coach, Jeff Briem
Travis H. D. Lewin Coach Award: Frank H. Ewing, Esq., Len Zaccagnino, Esq. Brian Melber, Esq. (Buffalo Law School)
Cathleen Roemer, Best Overall Advocate (Buffalo Law School)
2009
Syracuse University College of Law (1st Place)
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law / Yeshiva University (2nd place)
Meghan Reardon Anthony J. DeMarco, Jr. Overall Best Advocate
Mark Foti Best Advocate of Preliminary Rounds
2008
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place)
Hofstra University School of Law (2nd place)
James W. Neely (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Olatokunbo Olaniyan (Overall best advocate)
2007
Gilda Chiu (1st place)
Fordham University School of Law (2nd place)
Kirk Sendlein (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Kristin L. Paulding (Overall best advocate)
2006
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place)
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law / Yeshiva University (2nd place)
Kristin L. Paulding (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Gregory P. Amend (Overall best advocate)
2005
St. John’s University School of Law (1st place)
Syracuse University College of Law (2nd Place)
David Smith (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Jeffrey Briem, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
2004
St. John’s University School of Law (1st Place)
Syracuse University College of Law (2nd Place)
Kareem R. Vessup, Esq. (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Ryan K. Kerwin, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
St. John’s University School of Law (1st Place)
2003
University of Buffalo School of Law (2nd Place)
Heather Pearce (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Jennifer Chloris Plotkin, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
2002
University of Buffalo School of Law (1st place)
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place)
St. John’s University School of Law (2nd place)
Heather Pearce (Anthony DeMarco best advocate award)
Julie Atti Rogers, Esq (Best advocate, all rounds)
2001
University of Buffalo School of Law (2nd place)
Patrick G. Radel, Esq. (Best advocate)
2000
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place co-champions)
Hofstra University School of Law (1st place co-champions)
Christina Stover (Best advocate quarter final rounds)
Jamie Johnson, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
1999
Hofstra University School of Law (1st place)
Syracuse University College of Law (2nd place)
Kevin P. Kuehner, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
Carrol Chisholm (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
1998
Pace University School of Law (1st place)
Syracuse University College of Law (2nd place)
Kevin P. Kuehner, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
Terence J. Lau, Esq. (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
Daniel R. Ryan, Esq. (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
Charles Miller (Best advocate, quarter finals)
1997
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place)
SUNY At Buffalo Law School / Career Services (2nd place)
Patrick T. Welsh, II (Best advocate, all rounds)
1996
SUNY At Buffalo Law School / Career Services (1st place)
Gilda Chiu (2nd place)
Craig S. Brown, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
Ann Delia (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
1995
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place – tie)
Gilda Chiu (1st place – tie)
Gordon Wayne Spencer, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
Joseph M. Discipio (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
1994
Syracuse University College of Law (1st place)
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law / Yeshiva University (2nd place)
Randy Richardson (Best advocate, all rounds)
William Maniatis, Esq. (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
1993
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law / Yeshiva University (1st place)
Gilda Chiu (2nd place)
Ivan Alter, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
Steven T. Lane, Esq. (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)
1992
Hofstra University School of Law (1st place)
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law / Yeshiva University (2nd place)
Amy Berlin, Esq. (Best advocate, all rounds)
Tina Giampino (Best advocate, quarter final rounds)