The American College of Trial Lawyers was a founding sponsor in 1975 of the National Trial Competition. With the support of our partners at the Texas Young Lawyers Association who serve as administrators of the competition, the competition annually attracts teams from more than 100 law schools and nearly 1,000 law students across the United States.
Watch this informational video to learn more about the National Trial Competition.
Awards
The Kraft W. Eidman Award is presented by the American College of Trial Lawyers, and consists of $10,000 to the winning school and a plaque to each member of the winning team. This very generous contribution is endowed by Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.
Beck Redden LLP presents a $5,000 award to the second place team.
Each semifinalist team is awarded $1,500 by Polsinelli.
The Best Oral Advocate is awarded the George A. Spiegelberg Award, donated by Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson.
Upcoming Competitions
2025 National Trial Competition Finals
April 2-6
Houston, Texas
2025 National Competition Regional Rounds
The 2025 TYLA ACTL Regional Map displays the regions and their corresponding ACTL committee members.
Region 1: February 6-9, 2025. New England Law Boston and Boston College of Law
Region 2: February 21-23, 2025. Syracuse University College of Law
Region 3: February 21-23, 2025. Villanova University and Drexel University
Region 4: January 31-February 2, 2025. University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Region 5: January 31-February 2, 2025. University of South Carolina School of Law
Region 6: February 7-9, 2025. Florida State University
Region 7: February 7-9, 2025. The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Region 8: February 21-23, 2025. Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law
Region 9: February 7-9, 2025. Chicago-Kent College of Law
Region 10: February 21-23, 2025. University of TExas School of Law
Region 11: February 7-9, 2025. Oklahoma City University School of Law
Region 12: February 21-23, 2025. Creighton University School of Law
Region 13: February 7-9, 2025. Lewis and Clark School of Law and University of Oregon School of Law
Region 14: February 7-9, 2025. Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Region 15: February 6-9, 2025. Loyola Law School and UCLA School of Law
Learn more here.
Competition Winners
2024
Winning School: University of California, Los Angeles
Team Members: Edouard Goguillon, Peter Wahl Jones
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Corbin Healy, University of Missouri-Kansas City
2023
Winning School: University of California, Los Angeles
Team Members: Sarah Stebbins, Peter Wahl Jones
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Isiah L. Chavis, Mercer University
2022
Winning School: University of California, Los Angeles
Team Members: Regina Campbell, Enrico Trevisani
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Regina Campbell, University of California, Los Angeles
2021
Winning School: University of California, Los Angeles
Team Members: Delaney Gold-Diamond, Avery Hitchcock, Chandler Matz
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Danielle Kunkle, Wake Forest University School of Law
2020
Competition canceled due to COVID-19.
2019
Winning School: The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law
Team Members: Jennifer Brooker and Vania Smith
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Vania Smith, The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law
2018
Winning School: Wake Forest University School of Law
Team Members: Darius L. Lamonte, Tracea L. Rice, Jonathan Bryant Salmons
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Zachary McCamey, Wake Forest University School of Law
2017
Winning School: Northwestern University
Team Members: Doug Bates, Garrett Fields, Stacy Kapustina
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Amarto Bhattacharyya, Georgetown University Law Center
2016
Winning School: Harvard Law School
Team Members: Amanda Mundell, Joe Resnek
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Joe Resnek, Harvard Law School
2015
Winning School: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Team Members: Emily R. Schroeder, Nicolette A. Ward
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Emily Schroeder, Chicago-Kent College of Law
2014
Winning School: Yale Law School
Team Members: Hank Moon, John Hames “J.J.” Snidow, Ben Wallace
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Gus Lazares, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
2013
Winning School: Georgetown University Law Center
Team Members: L. Lars Hulsebus, Amanda Tuminelli
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: L. Lars Hulsebus, Georgetown University Law Center
2012
Winning School: Baylor Law School
Team Members: Mark E. Walraven, Steven Lopez
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Mark E. Walraven, Baylor Law School
2011
Winning School: Northwestern University
Team Members: Clare Diegel, Karim Basaria, Andrew Crowder
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Ryan Nolte, Chicago-Kent College of Law
2010
Winning School: Stetson University College of Law
Team Members: Brock Johnson, Katelyn Knaak, Trina Sams
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Rakesh Kilaru, Stanford Law School
2009
Winning School: Baylor Law School
Team Members: Joel Bailey, Eric Policastro
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Christopher E. Schaefer, University of Kentucky College of Law
2008
Winning School: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Team Members: Mark Griffin, Joshua Jones
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Joshua Jones, Chicago-Kent College of Law
2007
Winning School: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Team Members: Joshua Jones, Keya Rajput
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Keya Rajput, Chicago-Kent College of Law
2006
Winning School: Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)
Team Members: Kimberly Greene, Courtney Yoder
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Sach Oliver, University of Arkansas School of Law
2005
Winning School: Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)
Team Members: Melissa Lyons, Kathryn McCann, Brian Ward
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate:
Melissa Lyons, Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)
2004
Winning School: University of Houston Law Center
Team Members: Michelle Benavides, Eddie Berbarie, Julia Gray
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate:
Rena Upshaw-Frazier, Stetson University College of Law
2003
Winning School: St. John’s School of Law (Jamaica, NY)
Team Members: Kareem R. Vessup, Eon R. Smith
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Kareem R. Vessup, St. John’s School of Law (Jamaica, NY)
2002
Winning School: Northwestern University
Team Members: Terra Leigh Brown, William J. Dennison, II
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate:
Christopher L. LaVigne, Northwestern University
2001
Winning School: Stetson University College of Law
Team Members: Thea Dalkalitsis, J. Carlton Mitchell
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: J. Carlton Mitchell, Stetson University College of Law
2000
Winning School: Notre Dame Law School
Team Members: Stone Grissom, Shazzie Naseem, Ryan Redmon, Tamara Walker
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Stone Grissom, Notre Dame Law School
1999
Winning School: Temple University Law School
Team Members: Michael Lovell, Amber Van Hauen
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Margaret P. Stevens, Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)
1998
Winning School: Temple University Law School
Team Members: Bryan Fortay, Kevin Toth
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Kevin Toth, Temple University Law School
1997
Winning School: Northwestern University
Team Members: Jennifer E. Ancel, Glen G. McGorty, Dana R. Poole
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Jennifer E. Ancel, Northwestern University
1996
Winning School: Loyola University – Chicago School of Law
Team Members: Jeffrey A. Soble, Matthew Scott Miller, Robert D. Sweeney
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Jeffrey A. Soble, Loyola University – Chicago School of Law
1995
Winning School: Temple University Law School
Team Members: Robert E. Kelly, Lukas Reiter
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Lukas Reiter, Temple University Law School
1994
Winning School: Stetson University College of Law
Team Members: David A. Paul, Angelo M. Patacca, Jr., Karen A. Williams
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: David A. Paul, Stetson University College of Law
1993
Winning School: Notre Dame Law School
Team Members: Frank J. Kros, Edward Sullivan
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Frank J. Kros, University of Notre Dame
1992
Winning School: Northwestern University
Team Members: Kate Kennelly, Judith Krieg, Mark R. Niemeyer
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Mark R. Niemeyer, Northwestern University
1991
Winning School: University of Texas Law School
Team Members: Nick Pittman, Greg Reed, Mark Walters
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Greg Reed, University of Texas Law School
1990
Winning School: Stetson University College of Law
Team Members: Marie L. DeMarco, Jennifer S. Eden, Douglas T. Noah
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Marie L. DeMarco, Stetson University College of Law
1989
Winning School: Stetson University College of Law
Team Members: Carol E. McMurry, Charles A. Samarkos
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Jay Stewart Colling, Cumberland School of Law
1988
Winning School: Chicago-Kent College of Law
Team Members: Joel Daly, Lauretta Higgins, Peter J. Roskam
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Peter J. Roskam, Chicago-Kent College of Law
1987
Winning School: California-Western School of Law – San Diego
Team Members: Peter Bertling, Bruce MacDonald
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Bruce MacDonald, California Western School of Law – San Diego
1986
Winning School: Washington University – St. Louis, MO
Team Members: Harry Haytayan, Jr., Mark A. Lynch
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Mark A. Lynch, Washington University – St. Louis, MO
1985
Winning School: University of Texas Law School
Team Members: Jerry Galow, Paul Herad, Robert Lapin
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Jerry Galow, University of Texas Law School
1984
Winning School: Samford University
Team Members: Ottie Akers, Mark Rowe, Hill Sewell
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Mark Rowe, Samford University
1983
Winning School: Washington University – St. Louis, MO
Team Members: Cathy Gilbert, David Mason
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Cathy Gilbert, Washington University – St. Louis, MO
1982
Winning School: Texas Tech University School of Law
Team Members: Charles B. Frye, Murray Hensley, Marty Rowley
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: David F. Abernethy, Syracuse University
1981
Winning School: Samford University
Team Members: Charles R. Malone, Jack W. Stewart
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Jack W. Stewart, Samford University
1980
Winning School: Baylor University
Team Members: Timothy Herron, Joseph Norman Johnson, Mark Kenneth Patterson
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Timothy Herron, Baylor Law School
1979
Winning School: Syracuse University
Team Members: Eileen Cohen, Mae D’Agostino, James Priest
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Eileen Cohen, Syracuse University
1978
Winning School: Baylor University
Team Members: David C. Kent, Max A. Sandlin Jr., Robert W. Woody
George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate: Linda A. Wawzenski, Loyola University – Chicago School of Law
1977
Winning School: Syracuse University
Team Members: Brynley James III, Richard Palumbo, Robert Wales
1976
Winning School: Harvard Law School
Team Members: Michael Feldberg, Eric Zagrans