Created by Prof. Joe Lester, Nova Southeastern,
for the Law School Trial Team Community
Fall Trial Competition Information
THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BUT IS AS CURRENT AS OF June 5, 2026.
Competitions are Listed in Chronological Order by Competition Date
First Chair National Trial Competition
The First Chair National Trial Competition is an early-season tournament designed for schools’ strongest student advocates. To include more schools, the 2026 competition will be held at three sites: Philadelphia, hosted by Drexel; Atlanta, hosted by Georgia State; and Los Angeles, hosted by Chapman.
Format: Each team will have two advocates, with one advocate representing the plaintiff and one advocate representing the defendant. Each advocate will try the entire case solo and receive three preliminary trials. Preliminary rounds will be judged by coaches, and playoff rounds will be judged by outside lawyers.
Date: September 10–13, 2026. This competition will be held in person at three regional sites, which are TBD.
Applications: Applications are due by June 8, 2026. The registration fee is $800. APPLY HERE.
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National Flash Trial Competition
Hosted by the NFTC Planning Committee, the 5th Annual National Flash Trial Competition will be held in downtown San Francisco at JAMS’ conference center. This competition gives teams a fast-paced trial advocacy experience, with new fact patterns released shortly before each round.
Format: Each team will have two members. There will be four preliminary rounds: two 2-on-2 rounds and two 1-on-1 rounds. The top teams will advance to the semifinal and final rounds. In the 1-on-1 rounds, the team member who is not acting as counsel will serve as the witness. In all other rounds, witnesses will be provided. Teams will receive a new fact pattern before each round: 45 minutes before 1-on-1 rounds and 60 minutes before 2-on-2 rounds.
Date: September 17–20, 2026. This competition will be in person in downtown San Francisco.
Applications: Applications were due by 5:00 p.m. PT on May 8, 2026. The registration fee is $800.
Contact: https://www.flashtrials.com/
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Battle of The Experts
Hosted by Drexel University’s Kline School of Law this competition began in 2018. Ten law schools from across the country compete. The uniqueness of this competition is that the competition is held entirely at the Kline Institute of Trial Advocacy. The rounds will be judged by some of the top trial attorneys and litigators in the Philadelphia area. Drexel provides a “woodshedded” fact witness, teams provide their own expert. All teams are guaranteed four preliminary rounds.
Format: All rounds will be jury trials. There will be four preliminary rounds. Schools must provide a team of three or four. All advocates in each trial must either direct or cross an expert witness. After four rounds the top four teams will advance to the semi-finals.
Date: September TBD
Applications: Interested schools should contact Drexel. Since in 2023 this competition is Invitational only.
Contact: Phil Pasquarello at Drexel University Kline Institute of Trial Advocacy.
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National Pretrial Competition
Hosted by Stetson University College of Law, the Nineteenth Annual National Pretrial Competition will take place in Gulfport, Florida. This year’s case is set at the Silver Palms Resort and involves a prosecution for homicide and conspiracy after a hotel accountant discovers financial irregularities connected to the resort’s co-owners and is later found dead.
Format: Competitors will participate in a complex pretrial hearing. Student advocates will direct and cross four witnesses and present factual and legal arguments to the court. Before the hearing, students will also prepare memoranda of law for each side of the case. Sixteen teams will be accepted, and each team is guaranteed four rounds. The fourth preliminary round will serve as a silent quarterfinal.
Date: October 1–4, 2026. This competition will be in person at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.
Applications: Applications close on June 15, 2026. To increase competition accessibility, Stetson will invite two schools from the applicant pool that have not competed at NPTC within the last five years.
Contact: Questions may be sent to nptc@law.stetson.edu or directly to csadro@law.stetson.edu.
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All Star Bracket Challenge National Trial Competition
Hosted by St. Mary’s, Cumberland, Loyola-Chicago, Lewis & Clark, UMKC, Mercer, South Carolina, Syracuse, Texas Southern, and UCLA, this national trial competition includes regional rounds on Zoom and national rounds in San Antonio. Up to 64 teams may compete at Regionals, with the top eight teams advancing to Nationals. No host school will compete in the region it is hosting.
Format: Each team consists of four J.D. students. All teams are guaranteed four rounds at Regionals, with two trials on each side of the case. Regional final rounds will be added, so advancement will be determined head-to-head. Schools may enter two teams if space is available.
Date: Regional rounds will be held on Zoom on October 2–4 and October 9–11. Schools may choose their preferred weekend when applying. Nationals will be held in San Antonio on November 7–8.
Applications: Applications are due June 8. Registration is $750. Apply HERE.
Contact: Director of the A. Barry Cappello Program in Trial Advocacy Justin Bernstein at bernstein@law.ucla.edu
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Gold Cup Mock Trial Competition
Hosted by the Justice Beyond the Courtroom Foundation, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and McGeorge School of Law, the 4th Annual Gold Cup Mock Trial Competition will be held in Sacramento, California. The 2026 competition is titled “The Man in the Black Hat.” The fact pattern will be a criminal case file written by attorneys in the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and based on a compilation of actual cases prosecuted by that office.
Format: All trials will be held in the new Sacramento Superior Courthouse. Each team will consist of four advocates: two prosecution attorneys and two defense attorneys. When advocates are not in trial, they will serve as witnesses for their teammates. There will be four preliminary rounds, and each side is guaranteed to compete twice. After the preliminary rounds, there will be a change in the fact pattern that advocates must adapt to. The top teams will advance to the semifinal and final rounds.
Date: October 15–18, 2026, in person in Sacramento, California
Applications: Applications are due by June 21, 2026, and invitations will be sent by July 1, 2026. The registration fee is $850.
Contact: Questions may be sent to goldcupmocktrial@gmail.com.
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Buffalo Niagara Trial Competition
Hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Competition Committee, the 2026 Buffalo Niagara Trial Competition will take place in Buffalo, New York. The case problem will be drafted by Hon. Tim Franczyk and released in late August or early September.
Format: Twenty-four teams will be accepted, with one team per school. Each team must consist of four current J.D. student advocates: two prosecution advocates and two defense advocates. Schools may also bring up to four additional students to serve as witnesses only, but this is optional. If a school brings only four advocates, the advocates will serve as witnesses for their teammates on the opposite side of the case. Each competing team must be accompanied by an attorney or faculty coach.
Date: October 16–18, 2026. This competition will be in person in Buffalo, New York. The competition begins Friday morning and finals are expected to conclude Sunday at approximately 4:30 p.m. A remote coaches meeting will take place on October 14, 2026.
Applications: Applications are due by May 8, 2026. The registration fee is $1,200 per team. Hotel block information is forthcoming. Application information can be found HERE.
Communications: All competition communications must be directed to an attorney or faculty coach. Emails to the competition should be sent by reply-all to ensure the full committee receives the communication.
Contact: Jennifer R. Scharf, Vice Dean for Career Services, Co-Director of the Advocacy Institute, and Director of Trial Advocacy.
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The Inaugural Illinois Complex Commercial Litigation Trial Advocacy Competition
Hosted by the University of Illinois College of Law’s Kimball R. and Karen Gatsis Anderson Center for Advocacy and Professionalism, the Inaugural Illinois Complex Commercial Litigation Trial Advocacy Competition will take place in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. This new competition gives top trial advocacy teams the opportunity to work through a complex commercial litigation file involving breach of contract and theft of trade secret claims, similar to the kinds of disputes handled by lawyers at major multinational law firms.
Format: Twelve teams will be accepted, and each team is guaranteed four preliminary rounds. Teams may consist of two, three, or four students. The problem will require two witnesses per side: one expert witness and one lay witness. The University of Illinois Geis School of Business will provide students to serve as expert witnesses, and the University of Illinois College of Law will provide students to serve as lay witnesses. Courtroom technology will be available for electronic presentations of exhibits, statements, and arguments, and printed demonstratives will not be necessary or allowed. Trophies will be awarded to the semifinalists, finalists, champion, and best advocate following the preliminary rounds.
Date: October 16–18 in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
Registration: The registration fee is $750 per team. Registration closes on July 1 at 9:00 a.m., and selected teams will be notified shortly after registration closes. Apply HERE.
Contact: Questions may be sent to Professor Tony Ghiotto at aghiotto@illinois.edu.
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Syracuse National Trial Competition
Hosted by Syracuse University College of Law and sponsored by Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, the 8th Annual Syracuse National Trial Competition will be held in Syracuse, New York. SNTC is an invitational tournament for ABA-accredited law schools that showcases top advocacy programs from across the country. The competition is designed to develop and highlight trial skills, including opening statements, direct and cross examinations, and closing arguments.
Format: Each school may enter one team of four advocates/witnesses. Each team is guaranteed to participate in four full trials. Rounds will be judged by esteemed members of the bench and bar. Individual performance awards will also be presented.
Date: October 16–18, 2026. This competition will be in person in Syracuse, New York.
Applications: Applications are due by June 28, 2026. Invitations are expected to be announced the week of June 29, 2026. The competition fact pattern will be distributed to participating schools in August 2026. The registration fee is $1,200.
Contact: Tournament Directors Joanne Van Dyke at mjvesq@aol.com, or Todd Berger at taberger@law.syr.edu.
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Tournament of Champions
Today, the tournament is one of the premier law school trial competitions in the nation and is known for having the highest quality of congeniality and good sportsmanship. Each year, 16 schools are invited. The invitations are based on a three-year performance record at the National trial Competition and the AAJ National Student Trial Advocacy Competition. The school that wins the competition hosts the competition two years later. For more information go to here.
Format: There are four preliminary rounds and then a cut to semi-finals. The first three rounds are randomly paired with no team facing the same team twice. The fourth round is power-matched.
DATE: Hofstra is the designated host. October 22-25, 2026.
Applications: This is a closed tournament. Invitations are sent to school’s earning a spot based on how many points they accumulate from success in NTC and AAJ and based relatively on how others in the Federal Circuit fared. There are five at-large bids given plus the eleven highest scoring teams from each Federal Circuit. Teams are notified in May of their eligibility. You can check standings here.
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Quinnipiac Criminal Justice Competition
Hosted by Quinnipiac University School of Law and co-sponsored by the ABA Criminal Justice Section, the 26th Annual Criminal Justice Trial Competition will take place in New Haven, Connecticut. The competition features authentic criminal casefiles and individual awards.
Format: Sixteen teams will be invited to compete, and Quinnipiac University School of Law will not compete. Each team must have four students. Teams are guaranteed three rounds, which will take place in New Haven Superior Court.
Date: October 23–25, 2026. This competition will be in person in New Haven, Connecticut.
Applications: Applications are due by June 12, 2026. The registration fee is $950.
Contact: Questions may be sent to the Competition Coordinators at QUSLABAComp@quinnipiac.edu
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CACJ National Trial Competition
It’s back! This competition is run by the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice. The preliminary rounds will be at the Federal District Courthouse and the final round at UC Hastings School of Law. The competition will take place in San Francisco, California.
Date: TBD October 2026.
Applications: Registration opens TBD.
Contact: California Attorneys for Criminal Justice or mocktrial@cacj.org
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MLK Civil Rights Competition
UC Davis hosts this competition. 2018 was the inaugural competition. 12-14 teams from across the country will compete. The case file will deal with a civil rights issue. The 2022 competition will be in person.
Format: There will be three preliminary rounds, then cut to semi-finals. It is a three day competition. The first round will be selected based on a challenge ceremony. Teams will be power-matched for the next two rounds. Teams will have to choose their two witnesses from a pool of three potential witnesses giving each trial its own unique feel.
Date: TBD October 2026.
Applications: Applications are open TBD.
Contact: Davis Trial Practice Honors Board. Instagram for Competition.
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St. John’s Civil Rights Competition
St. John’s hosts this competition in which 16 teams from across the country compete.
Format: This is a four day competition with the first round on Thursday night, the second round on Friday night. Only two preliminary rounds before the field is cut in half. Quarter-finals and semi-finals on Saturday and the final round on Sunday morning.
Date: TBD October 2026.
Applications: TBD.
Contact: St. John’s
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Hofstra Medical Legal
This competition is unique in that each team will be assigned a medical student as a medical expert for a medical malpractice trial. The fact pattern will not be a limitation for cross of the experts since the experts will be actual medical students.
Format: There will be at least three preliminary rounds and cut to semi-finals. There will be a banquet after the three preliminary rounds and individual awards will be given out. Teams will be assigned their medical expert in advance of the competition and can work with their expert via Skype/video-conference/phone or email. The competition has grown to 20 teams for 2023.
Date: October TBD 2026.
Applications: Applications are available in May. The entry fee is TBD.
Contact: LawJRR@hofstra.edu.
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San Diego Defense Lawyers
A two-day competition that is looking to grow. Normally it has 16 teams competing but for 2018 hopes to have 20-22 teams in the field. Schools may enter one or two teams. The problem will always be civil.
FORMAT: There are two preliminary rounds, one on Thursday night and one on Friday night, then it cuts to the semi-finals on Saturday.
DATE: TBD October 2026.
APPLICATIONS: TBD
CONTACT: San Diego Defense Lawyers at kjensen@lbbklaw.com.
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National Civil Trial Competition
Hosted by LMU Loyola Law School, the 25th annual Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP National Civil Trial Competition will be held in 2026. The competition is an invitational tournament open to ABA-approved law schools that have demonstrated excellence in preparing students to be effective and ethical courtroom advocates. Schools will be invited based on submitted applications. The 2025 Champion was St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Format: The tournament will feature four preliminary rounds, each judged by a panel of at least three experienced courtroom lawyers. The semi-final and final rounds will be evaluated by some of Los Angeles’ top trial attorneys. All participating teams are invited to a celebratory event on Saturday night.
Date: November 5–8, 2026. This competition will be in person.
Applications: Interested schools must apply by Monday, June 8, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. PST. Apply HERE.
Contact: Tournament Director John Henry at john.henry@lls.edu.
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National Trial Advocacy Trial Competition
The Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law and its Advocacy Center are proud to host the 21st edition of the Puerto Rico Trial Advocacy Competition. Held in sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico, this annual competition celebrates excellence, professionalism, and camaraderie through a criminal mock trial problem. As the competition marks its 21st year, PRTAC continues its tradition of bringing together talented advocates for a memorable and challenging trial experience.
Format: The competition is designed for teams of four students, with two students serving as advocates and two students serving as witnesses. Teams will compete in trial rounds that allow advocates to practice courtroom advocacy, including presenting arguments, examining witnesses, and working as a team throughout the case.
Date: November 6-8, 2026.
Applications: Applications will be accepted until March 27, 2026. Selected teams will be notified after the application period closes. Applications must be submitted through the Team Application Form. APPLY HERE.
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Premiere Trial Competition
The Premiere Trial Competition is designed for students making their trial advocacy “premiere,” meaning students who have never participated as an advocate in an external law school trial competition. The competition will be held at five locations over two different weekends in November.
Format: Each team will have four students, and every student is guaranteed two trials as an advocate. Coaches will judge all trials and provide feedback afterward. To participate, each team must provide one coach-judge per round. The coach-judge must be a J.D. who actually coached the school’s Premiere team. Schools may rotate which coach judges each round.
Date: November 7–8, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hosted by Nova Southeastern College of Law. November 14–15, 2026, in Austin, Texas, hosted by the University of Texas School of Law; Long Island, New York, hosted by Hofstra School of Law; Chicago, Illinois, hosted by DePaul University College of Law; and Los Angeles, California, hosted by UCLA School of Law.
Applications: Applications are due by June 8, 2026. The registration fee is $650 per team. Apply HERE.
Contact: whitecollargeorgetown.
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Joint Voir Dire Competition
Hosted by Elisabeth Haub Law School and New York County Defenders, the 2026 Joint Voir Dire Competition will take place in Manhattan courtrooms. This nationwide competition focuses on advocacy skills in voir dire, oral motions, and opening statements.
Format: Each team must have three to four advocates. The competition will include a minimum of three rounds. Competitors will be judged on voir dire, oral motions, and opening statements. Teams will also submit a post-competition Reflection Statement of approximately 500–750 words responding to a prompt provided during the competition. The reflection statement will be separately judged and may be featured on the competition website and in post-event materials. The problem will be released in mid-September, and final rosters are due before the problem is released. Schools may request up to two teams.
Date: November 6–9, 2026. Rounds will be held at the New York Supreme Court, with the final round hosted by New York County Defenders.
Applications: Registration is due by June 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Teams will be selected by July 12, 2026. The registration fee is due by July 30, 2026. Registration fee is $850 per team. Payment should be made by check payable to New York County Defender Services and mailed to New York County Defender Services, 100 William Street, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10038, Attention: Stan Germain
Contact: Louis V. Fasulo, Director of Advocacy at Elisabeth Haub Law School, at lfasulo@law.pace.edu.
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Kelly Trial Competition
Judge Paul Joseph Kelly, Jr. Invitational Trial Competition: Hosted by Fordham University School of Law. This invitational mock trial competition brings together law school teams from across the country to compete in a federal criminal trial problem. Teams are judged based on their advocacy skills. The competition honors Judge Paul Joseph Kelly, Jr., Fordham University School of Law Class of 1967 and current Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Format: Teams consist of two students who prepare both sides of a federal criminal problem. Each team will advocate both sides of the case twice. The advocate who delivers the opening statement for the prosecution will deliver the closing argument for the defense, and the advocate who delivers the closing argument for the prosecution will deliver the opening argument for the defense. Fordham University provides all witnesses, and each team has 15 minutes to prepare its witnesses before each round. Four teams advance to the semifinal round on Sunday morning, and two teams advance to the final round on
Sunday afternoon.
Date: November 13-15, 2026.
Applications: Applications are expected to be available by August 2026!
Contact: mooreadvocates@gmail.com.
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William Daniel Mock Trial Invitational
Hosted by Georgia State University College of Law, the 28th Annual William Daniel Mock Trial Invitational will take place in Atlanta, Georgia. This is a criminal mock trial competition and will accept 14 teams. The 2025 champions were the Mercer Bears.
Format: Each school is guaranteed three preliminary rounds. Teams may be made up of four to six law students, who may serve as lawyers, witnesses, or both. The four teams advancing to the semifinals, along with other awards, will be announced Saturday evening at Manuel’s Tavern. The semifinals will take place Sunday at 10:00 a.m., followed by the final round at 1:30 p.m.
Date: November 13–15, 2026. This competition will be in person at Georgia State University College of Law, 85 Park Place NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.
Applications: The registration fee is $800. Schools may apply here. If there are issues with the form, schools should email the competition with the school name, contact person and contact information, a school resume or statement of interest, and the last year the school attended the Daniel, if applicable.
Contact: williamdanielcompetition@gmail.com.
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Georgetown Federal White Collar
As a student run competition at Georgetown Law, this competition brings together top trial advocacy programs from across the country to compete in a federal criminal trial problem focused on white collar crime. Past problems have involved issues such as insurance fraud, honest services fraud, false statements to federal investigators, and securities law violations. The competition is judged by legal professionals from the greater D.C. area and is traditionally held at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Format: The competition consists of three guaranteed preliminary rounds, followed by semifinal and final rounds. In each trial, student advocates are expected to conduct a direct examination, conduct a cross examination, and present either an opening statement or closing argument. Advocates are also evaluated on professionalism, objections, and exhibit handling. Each team consists of four law students, with two students serving as advocates and two students serving as witnesses in each round.
Date: November 2026, exact dates TBD.
Applications: Applications for the 2026 competition are expected to open mid-August. Application details and deadlines will be announced by Georgetown University Law Center.
Contact: whitecollargeorgetown.
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Case Classic Mock Trial Competition
Hosted by Case Western University.
Format: The Case Classic is a three-day tournament that takes place at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Each team will get four rounds. Then the top four teams will compete in the semi-finals.
DATE: TBD November 2026.
Applications: TBD.
Contact: Lauren Tuttle
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Summit Cup
Hosted by The Center for Advocacy at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. This is an invitational trial advocacy competition designed to give law students a realistic trial experience while promoting professionalism, education, and camaraderie. A "Golden Ticket" is sent to teams based on their performances in some of the most prestigious national trial competitions from the prior academic year.
FORMAT: The competition includes four tournament rounds, followed by a Championship Round between the two highest-ranked teams. Each team must be prepared to argue both sides of the case. Teams receive 75 minutes per round to present their case, with additional time for oral motions in limine. The competition uses “woodshed witnesses” provided by the host school, and scoring panels include attorneys and lay jurors who evaluate advocates on persuasion, credibility, professionalism, and overall trial advocacy.
Participants: Campbell, Georgia, Maryland, Mercer, NYU, South Carolina, St. Mary's, Stetson, Texas, Texas Southern, UCLA, UMKC
Date: TBD
Applications: This is an invitation-based competition. Teams are invited based on prior national trial competition performance.
Contact: David Schott, Director, the Center for Advocacy at David.Schott@du.edu.