(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — A team from the University of Dayton School of Law won the Ohio Attorney General’s ninth annual Public Service Mock Trial Competition for Ohio law school students, Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
“There were many great future lawyers in the court room but the team from Dayton set the bar,” Yost said. “We hope the process has helped to pique participants’ interest in pursuing a legal career focused on protecting and serving the people of Ohio.”
The competition, held Nov. 19 at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, featured 10 teams of students from seven Ohio law schools. The event was created to help the state’s law students learn about public-service careers and gain experience in the courtroom.
The participants spent weeks preparing for the competition, with coaching from experienced public-sector litigators from throughout the state. The case problem, released to the teams in September, involved a civil rights action for damages arising from alleged racial profiling that resulted in a traffic stop.
On Friday, the teams presented each side of the case in separate rounds, with experienced public-service litigators, judges and private practitioners serving as judges.
The following teams had the highest overall scores in the 2021 competition:
- First place: University of Dayton School of Law, Team #2
- Second place: University of Dayton School of Law, Team #1
- Third place: Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law
The University of Dayton’s winning team members were Emily Smith, Stefanie Stack, Jordan Staley, Courtney Strickland, Nicole Vega and Annie Wall. The students were coached by Principal Ohio Attorney General William Becker, Dayton Attorney Mark Chilson, University of Dayton School of Law Professor Emeritus Thomas Hagel and Columbus Attorney Kelly Becker.
Additional information about the Ohio Attorney General’s Public Service Mock Trial Competition can be found at
www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Luke Sullivan: 614-270-2662
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