Chicago-Kent team advances to 2004
National Trial Competition

After three days of competition among trial advocacy teams from a dozen law schools in Illinois and Indiana, Chicago-Kent is one of two schools sending winning teams to represent Region Eight in the National Trial Competition in Austin, Texas, from March 25 through 27.

Chicago-Kent students Michelle M. Ferrigan, David A. Argay and Tracy M. Hogan beat one team from Notre Dame, one team from John Marshall and two teams from Northwestern to advance to the national competition.

Ferrigan also won the regional tournament's Best Advocate award. The team is coached by Justice Warren Wolfson and Judge David Erickson, who are directors of Chicago-Kent's Trial Advocacy Program, and by Chicago-Kent alums George Domas, Dorislee Jackson and Demetrios Kottaras.

A second outstanding team from Chicago-Kent, made up of Maxine Weiss, Seth Darmstadter and Andrew Cherkasky, also advanced to and excelled in the Region Eight competition. “I am extremely proud of both Chicago-Kent teams,” said Chicago-Kent dean Harold J. Krent. “We almost had two teams in the finals. This is the first time Chicago-Kent has hosted the competition. It gave us an excellent opportunity to showcase our law school and our award-winning trial advocacy program.”

Chicago-Kent hosted the Region Eight round of the National Trial Competition February 5 through 7 at the Richard J. Daley Center. It was the first time in six years that the tournament was held in Chicago.

The National Trial Competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions in the United States. The competition is designed to evaluate students' advocacy skills and knowledge of both evidence and trial court procedures. It is currently co-sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association, American College of Trial Lawyers, American Bar Association and West Group.

Every ABA-accredited law school in the country is invited to compete in the annual competition, and the top two teams from each of the thirteen regional tournaments advance to the championship rounds. Region Eight law schools competing were Chicago-Kent, DePaul, John Marshall, Loyola University Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Southern Illinois, University of Illinois, Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana University at Indianapolis, Notre Dame and Valparaiso. Chicago-Kent and Loyola will represent Region Eight next month in Texas.

Chicago-Kent was selected to host the regional tournament, and Chicago-Kent alumna Margaret Firnstein of the Cook County States’ Attorney’s Office served as chair of the host committee. Cook County Circuit Court judges presided over preliminary rounds and judges from the Illinois Appellate Court heard the semi-finalists. Illinois State Supreme Court justices Thomas R. Fitzgerald and Robert R. Thomas presided over the final rounds. Four Chicago law firms -- Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman; Kralovec Jambois & Schwartz; Lavin & Nisivaco; and O'Hagan Smith & Amundsen -- generously co-sponsored the regional competition.