FAMU Law Trial Teams Leave Mark at Competitions

Demonstrating their superior advocacy skills, three teams of Florida A&M University College of Law students received high honors at regional trial competitions and two of those teams are advancing to the finals at the national level.

The American Bar Association (ABA) Client Counseling Team comprised of third-year law students Ricky Favors and Seyi Jemmott won their Regional Competition and will represent FAMU and Region 5 in the ABA National Finals in Durham, North Carolina from March 13 through 14. The FAMU team beat out a total of 11 competing teams and placed first for preliminary rounds through the finals. Elizabeth Kirk, a recent FAMU College of Law graduate, coached the team. As a consequence of this win, FAMU Law will host the ABA Client Counseling Competition next year.

The Trial Team of third-year law students Alexis Carter, Crystal Harmon, and Christine Richardson, and second-year law student Daniel Whitley were the first runners-up at the Southern Region Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Team Competition in Nashville, Tenn. The second-place finish makes the team eligible to compete at the BLSA National Competition in Irvine, Calif., March 18-22, 2009. Richardson was named Best Advocate in the competition. The team was coached by staff Attorney Ka'Juel Washington, a member of the inaugural FAMU law class.

The Moot Court Team of second-year law students Sean Campbell and Truleia Fuller represented FAMU law in the Southern Region BLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition held in Nashville. The team advanced to the quarterfinal round with an undefeated record before being eliminated. Campbell was named Best Oralist in the competition. The team was coached by Professor William Henslee.

“The success of our law student teams in trial competitions demonstrates how seriously we take our advocacy training,” said LeRoy Pernell, dean of the FAMU College of Law.

Photo caption – From the left to right: Seyi Jemmott (3L) and Ricky Favors (3L) won the American Bar Association( ABA) Client Counseling Regional Competition and will represent FAMU and Region 5 at Nationals in Durham, N.C.