Archive for 'Trial Team'

Pictured, from left to right: Igor Hernandez, Jose Lorenzo, Megan Mackintosh, Caridad Garcia, Alejandro Carrasco, Denita Jones, Gregory Pierre, and David Baroff. Not pictured: Saulo Perez.

The FIU Law Trial Team recently won second place at the Hon. E. Earle Zehmer Memorial Mock Trial Competition held in Tampa and sponsored by the Florida Justice Association.

The squad composed of Alejandro Carrasco (3L), Denita Jones (3L), Saulo Perez (4L), and Gregory Pierre (4L) demonstrated powerful legal storytelling and entered the championship round as the lone undefeated squad out of a field of 14.  Along the way, these student-advocates defeated perennial powerhouse Stetson University, Nova Southeastern University and the University of Miami, before being edged out by the University of Florida in the finals.

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Pictured from left to right: Coach Matthew L. Baldwin, Coach Anthony C. Hevia ‘07,  Joseph P. Glace (3L), Nisha Mohammed (3L), Marc Schmulian (4L),  Julian V. Stroleny (4L), Professor H. Scott Fingerhut, and Professor H.T. Smith.

This past weekend in Washington, D.C., the FIU Law Trial Team – composed of students Joe Glace (3L), Nisha Mohammed (3L), Marc Schmulian (4L), and Julian Stroleny (4L) – won first place at the 16th Annual National White Collar Crime Mock Trial Invitational, sponsored by Georgetown Law and the Georgetown University Law Center Barristers’ Council.

From 20 of the top trial advocacy programs across the country, the FIU Trial Team won all five rounds in the competition, defeating the University of Houston, Fordham University, and Barry University in the preliminary rounds. They entered the semi-final round undefeated and as the second-ranked squad, where they defeated the University of Houston once again, and then William & Mary in the final round.

This year’s tournament featured allegations of straw contributions, illegal money orders, a mayoral campaign, and the candidate’s alleged honest services fraud in accepting a bribe to change her position to favor a casino referendum on the same ballot.

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After a rigorous spring tryout and interview process, the Trial Advocacy Program is pleased to announce that the following students have been selected to join the FIU Trial Team:

Alejandro Carrasco,

Igor Hernandez,

Denita Jones,

Tia Jones,

Jose Lorenzo,

Megan Mackintosh, and

Nisha Mohammed.

These students will now spend the summer participating in advanced advocacy “boot camps” to prepare them to join the current Trial Team members in the fall for the 2012-2013 competition season.

Congratulations to these Passionate Principled Advocates, as they strive to become the next generation of Great Legal Storytellers.

Pictured from left to right are: seated, VICTORIA CUETO (3L), JULIAN STROLENY (3L), and AMY RUIZ (3L); standing, MARC SCHMULIAN (3L), PROFESSOR H. SCOTT FINGERHUT (Assistant Director, Trial Advocacy Program), MIKE RYAN (Coach and December 2009 alum), and CARLOS (“CHARLIE”) GARCIA (3L).

The FIU Law Trial Team recently finished in the top 4 at the Chester E. Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition, sponsored by the Trial Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar.

Bedell is the premier state mock trial tournament, which this year hosted 22 teams – two squads from all 11 Florida law schools.  This year’s case file involved the cocaine trafficking trial of Sheila Stone, and FIU advanced to the semi-final round, only to fall to the ultimate tournament champion.

“Our Passionate Principled Advocates trained for almost three months – including over winter break –and continue to make us proud,” said Professor H.T. Smith, Director of the Trial Advocacy Program.

Bedell team members also included ARI GOLDBERG (3L), ALYSSA SUAREZ (3L), DAVID GOUDREAU (3L), and KENIA CODECIDO (2L).