Sarah Paul Wins Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition

Sarah Paul ’25 recently won the Top Gun XVI National Mock Trial Competition hosted by Baylor Law School. The competition is one of the most prestigious and demanding events in the country – only sixteen competitors are invited each year.  

Paul, along with her co-counsel Clay Owens ’25, received a full case packet just 24 hours before the opening round, and they worked with coach Kendall Beard ’23 to prepare to try the case. New information and elements were added between each round. When Paul advanced to the semifinals, they received nearly 200 pages of case law to use for arguments in trial the following morning. Paul earned high praise from judges and coaches throughout the competition for her poise, intelligence, and fearlessness. 

This win caps off an illustrious trial competition career for Paul, who has participated in mock trial since she was in high school. She and Owens also competed together as undergraduate students at Ohio State. When Paul came to Moritz, first-year law students did not usually participate in national-level competitions, but that quickly changed. She joined the team and set a goal of raising the team’s national rankings. Since then, she has been an integral part of several winning competition teams and qualified twice for the National Trial Competition (NTC).  

“Mock trial has changed my life,” Paul shared earlier this year. “It has boosted my confidence and shown me that you really can do anything.”  

To see Paul and Owens in action in the Top Gun XVI Final Round, watch the video here.