IIT Chicago-Kent to compete in the 2011 National Pretrial Advocacy Competition
IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has been invited to compete in the fourth annual National Pretrial Advocacy Competition October 13 to 16 at Stetson University College of Law's Gulfport campus in Florida. The competition, which is designed to capture the essence of the pretrial motion practice, is co-sponsored by Stetson's Center for Excellence in Advocacy and the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar.
Twelve competing law school teams will receive a legal problem containing two issues that require pretrial solutions. The teams will write two briefs--one for the respondent and one for the petitioner. After submitting their briefs, teams will receive supplemental information that may alter or negate the arguments they submitted. At the competition, teams will present oral arguments, examine witnesses, and ultimately attempt to synthesize law and new facts in a final argument. Two preliminary rounds will be held October 14; a third preliminary and a semifinal will take place October 15. The final round will be held October 16.
Second-year students Justin Haber, Edwin Johnson, Jordan Lebovitz and Tara Korthals will represent IIT Chicago-Kent in the tournament. Team member Justin Haber earned his undergraduate degree in finance and marketing from Emory University. Team member Edwin Johnson graduated from William College with a major in Asian studies. Team member Jordan Lebovitz earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Michigan. Team member Tara Korthals graduated with honors from Miami University with a major in marketing and a minor in business legal studies.
The team will be coached by Chicago-Kent alumni Joshua Jones '08, Rachael Sinnen '11, and Marcie Thorp '92. (Jones was a member of the IIT Chicago-Kent teams that won the National Trial Competition championship in 2007 and 2008, with Jones winning that tournament's Best Advocate award in 2008.)
IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law is the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology, a private, Ph.D.-granting institution with programs in engineering, psychology, architecture, business, design and law. IIT Chicago-Kent's trial advocacy teams have won numerous individual student honors and regional and national competitions. U.S. News & World Report this year ranked Chicago-Kent's trial advocacy program among the top five in the country. IIT Chicago-Kent won National Trial Competition championships in 1988, 2007 and 2008.
