Eighteen students participated in the mock trial program during the 2023-2024 school year. The rankings, from GAVEL Rankings, recognize excellent trial competition results and acknowledge schools winning the toughest competitions.
"We are incredibly proud of our students' dedication and hard work,” mock trial coaches Michaelle Tobin and Alexandra Serra said. “This achievement reflects the relentless commitment of our team and the invaluable support from UMKC. Our students consistently demonstrate outstanding skills and professionalism, preparing them to become leaders in the legal field."
One of the competitions recognized as being among the toughest is the Texas Young Lawyers’ Association National Trial Competition. This year, two UMKC teams earned the right to compete in the national tournament and one of those teams ended as one of the top four in the country. Corbin Healy (J.D. ‘24), a member of the team, was named as the Best Overall Advocate of the competition.
“The UMKC Mock Trial team was the highlight of my law school experience,” Healy said. “It taught me not only practical skills to be used in the courtroom, but also how to be a better teammate and overall advocate. I cannot thank my coaches and teammates enough for such an incredible experience and opportunity to compete at such a high level. I look forward to using the tools that I learned in my practice.
Mock trial is part of the law school’s advocacy program. Mock trial competitions, along with clinics, internships and opportunities to represent real clients, prepare students to be trial attorneys and to confidently negotiate and litigate for their clients.
“All of us at UMKC Law are so proud that our trial program was recognized as one of the nation’s best,” law school dean Lumen Mulligan said. “It is a testament to Professor Tobin and Ms. Serra’s great instruction, our students' hard work and our alumni's incredible support. Our outstanding advocacy program is one of the many reasons for a student to attend UMKC Law.”
The mock trial program is supported by alumni and donors; this support allows students to travel and compete without financial pressure. Kansas City law firms Davis, Bethune & Jones; the Accurso Law Firm; and Langdon & Emison have pledged $250,000 each. Their support, and the support from other donors, ensures that students in the mock trial program will have numerous opportunities to continue this success in coming years.