Northwestern Law Team Wins Trial Competition

CHICAGO --- A Northwestern University School of Law team won first place in the Buffalo/Niagara Mock Trial Competition.

The Northwestern University Bartlit Center for Trial Strategy team was undefeated in seven trials, finishing first among 32 participating law schools. The all-2L team defeated Florida State, Louisiana State and Campbell in the preliminaries, as well as Texas, Duquesne, Georgia and St. Johns in the single-elimination playoffs. The trial competition was hosted by SUNY Buffalo Law School Nov. 9-12.

“Our coaches are true educators,” said Steven Lubet, the Williams Memorial Professor of Law and director of the Bartlit Center for Trial Strategy. “They teach our students how to work through the material themselves in order to present a compelling case, and that is the ultimate achievement in trial competitions.”

The winning team included Northwestern Law students Allison Freedman, John Mack, Joy McClellan and Kevin Jakopchek. Mack was also voted the tournament’s outstanding advocate out of 128 competitors.

The Northwestern team was coached by Richard Levin and Adam Riback of the Levin Riback Law Group.

“Never have I seen a group comprised entirely of second-year law students come together as a team faster, work harder and compete, not just to win, but for each other,” Riback said. “Special recognition really needs to be given to Rick Levin, who literally puts his life on hold to make these students better lawyers.”

A Northwestern University School of Law team also won the Buffalo/Niagara Mock Trial Competition in 2006.