BREAKING NEWS!

Capital University Law School team takes FIRST PLACE!

Capital University Law School won first place at the Attorney General’s 2015 Public Service Mock Trial Competition, which took place on October 24 and 25.

Capital’s team members included: Melissa Bright, Sandra Carrillo, Sean Heffernan, Jose Juarez, Nick Kolitsos, Alex Korecky, Sharon Schnelle and Kaitlyn Stephens, all members of the Class of 2016. 

Seven schools competed in the event, which took place at the Franklin County Courthouse. They participated in the fictional civil telemarketing fraud case of Margaret Reynolds vs. Randy Graves. 

Participants were judged by a three-person panel comprised of federal and state judges, as well as by experienced public service and private litigators. Students were scored on each part of the trial, which included motions in limine, opening statements, direct examinations, cross examinations, and closing arguments. 

On the first day of the competition, Capital defeated the University of Akron in the morning and Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University in the afternoon. At the end of the morning round, Sharon Schnelle took a Best Witness Award and Sandra Carillo took a Best Attorney award. Nick Kolitsos took a Best Witness Award for the afternoon round. 

Capital and Ohio State advanced to the final round, held on Sunday. At the end of the day, Capital was declared the overall competition winner. In the final round Alex Korecky took a Best Attorney Award and Sharon Schnelle was named second Best Witness.

Student competitors felt that Capital University Law School prepared them very well for the competition.

“I felt like Professor Cordray was with me in the courtroom,” said Kaitlyn Stephens. “I was able to rattle off responses to objections off the top of my head.”

“Capital University does an outstanding job at giving students opportunities to practically apply the skills and knowledge that they are learning in the substantive law areas,” said Sharon Schnelle. 

Nick Kolitsos added: “By offering classes that teach a hands-on approach to legal practice, such as trial advocacy, Capital University prepared me for the intense competition. It was exhilarating to win the competition, especially after all of the hard work and preparation we put in as a team.”

Congratulations!