Post date: March 12, 2002 — 3:30 p.m.
The Harvard Law School Mock Trial Team captured first place at the Association of Trial Lawyers of America ‘s Student Trial Advocacy Competition regional tournament held in Boston the weekend of March 2-3. The team—comprised of Matthew Whitley, Cecilia Dickson, Rick Su, and Rex Lee —defeated fifteen other teams from New England law schools for the right to compete in the national STAC finals, to be held the weekend of March 22-23 in Chicago. In the final round, the winning team defeated another Harvard team which included Nicole DeSario, Ayesha Najam, Jordan Abshire, and Theresa Therilu.
“This marks the third year in a row that two Harvard teams have advanced to the ‘final four ‘ at the regional level, and the second time in three years that a Harvard team has advanced to the STAC national finals,” said Matthew Whitley, captain of the winning team. “But this year was particularly successful given that Harvard finished 1-2 at the regional competition.”
The STAC requires competitors to try a civil lawsuit before a “jury” of practicing attorneys. Students must develop and argue both sides of the case, and they are judged on the quality of their trial advocacy skills. Of the more than 150 mock trial teams from across the country that entered the STAC this year, only the top 14 qualified for the national finals.