Support Buckeyes Preparing for a Mock Trial National Championship
In April, two mock trial teams from Moritz College of Law will travel to Houston to compete in the National Trial Competition (NTC). After excelling in the regional round, they now prepare to face 30 teams from law schools across the country. Ohio State is one of only five schools that had multiple teams advance to the national competition.
For Sarah Paul ‘25, this trip to nationals is particularly meaningful.
Paul has participated in mock trial since she was in high school. She and teammate Clay Owens ‘25 also competed together as undergraduate students at Ohio State. When she came to Moritz, first-year law students were not allowed to compete. After making her own case and advocating for herself, Paul joined the team in a barrier-breaking move.
“The goal was just to keep being part of a mock trial team,” she said. “I’ve always loved the process, the preparation, and especially the competition days.”
As a 1L, she and her team reached the quarterfinals of the NTC. This time around, Paul is feeling more comfortable because she knows more about what to expect. Although this competition signals the end of an era for her, Paul will always be grateful for what she has learned as a team member.
“Mock trial has changed my life,” she said. “It has boosted my confidence and shown me that you really can do anything.”
Kendall Beard ‘23 coached Paul when she was an undergrad, then competed with her for a year, and now advises as a coach again. He says getting to see Paul’s journey and her impact on mock trial at Moritz has been incredible. He has also been encouraged and excited to see how Jamie Salazar ‘25, Zach Paganini ‘26, and Jolie Pressberger ‘27 work together as a newer team. Their commitment and creativity are impressive and demonstrate an exceptional foundation of lawyering skills.
“Each team has worked so hard and risen to every challenge,” Beard said. “To have two teams representing in a national competition shows how strong our program is.”
The teams are putting in many hours of preparation and scrimmaging one another when they can. When it’s time to compete, they will have the full support of their coaches and the Moritz community.
“They’re juggling school and life responsibilities, and they handle it all with grace,” said Beard. “They are great teammates and world-class people.”
Empower our teams on their journey to the NTC! Your donation today helps fuel their success. If you would like to contribute, please use this link.