Press Release
DISTRICT ATTORNEY KATZ HOSTS 10TH ANNUAL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION
The Queens District Attorney’s Office hosted its 10th Annual Mock Trial Competition this weekend in the recently upgraded court facilities of the Queens Criminal Court. The competition attracted students from 18 nationally ranked law schools to compete before senior prosecutors and members of the defense bar with New York Supreme and Criminal Court judges presiding on the bench. Chicago-Kent College of Law of the Illinois Institute of Technology took first place honors in this year’s competition.
District Attorney Katz said: “The Queens District Attorney’s Office is grateful for the support of the judiciary and defense bar every year to provide this immersive learning experience. We are especially pleased that so many exemplary teams from across the country participated in our 10th anniversary mock trial competition. The future of our legal system is bright as these students demonstrated a high level of dedication, preparation, and competence this weekend.”
This year, Chicago-Kent College of Law won the competition in a field of 18 teams. The champion team was made up of Aidan Boyle (who also won Best Oral Advocate, Final Round), Kathryn Connors, John Travlos and Allyson Weubbe. The second-place winners were participants from Pace University, Elisabeth Haub School of Law.
2025 Participating Schools:
Chicago-Kent College of Law
City University of New York School of Law
Emory University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law
George Washington University Law School
Hofstra University, Maurice A. Deane School of Law
University of Houston Law Center
University of Kansas School of Law
University of Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law
University of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce School of Law
New York Law School
New York University School of Law
Pace University, Elisabeth Haub School of Law
University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Rutgers School of Law
St. John’s University School of Law
Stetson University School of Law
William and Mary School of Law
During the tournament, each team of second-year law students studied a fact pattern and prepared a mock trial for the competition which began on March 7. The competition consisted of two preliminary rounds, a blind quarterfinal, semi-finals and a final round. Judges from Queens and Brooklyn volunteered to preside, along with seasoned prosecutors and defense attorneys who acted as evaluators and bailiffs. Participants received feedback each round and a culminating score from evaluators.
Sponsored by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the mock trial competition was supervised by Senior Assistant District Attorney Courtney Finnerty, Director of Litigation Training and Legal Hiring, with the assistance of Senior Assistant District Attorney Courtney Charles, Deputy Bureau Chief of Felony Trial Bureau III and Deputy Director of Litigation Training, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Brian Hughes, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Special Victims Bureau, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Supreme Court Trials Pishoy Yacoub.