The National Trial Team at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law took first place at the National Trial Competition (NTC) regional tournament Feb. 9-11. The winning competitors were National Trial Team co-captains Thomas Kiley ’24 (left) and Rebecca Wells ’24 (right). Wells was also named an Outstanding Advocate for the tournament. Kiley and Wells bested teams from schools including University of Virginia, Georgetown, George Mason, American, and Howard. The duo was coached by National Trial Team alums Dylan Rogers Elliott ’20 and Fiona Puglese ’20.
Kiley and Wells will advance to nationals April 3-7 in Houston. Also moving on to the finals is the other regional championship team from American University. They will join the top two teams from each of the other 14 regions in the country.
“Becca and I were incredibly appreciative of the support from the entire National Trial Team this weekend in helping run the tournament to make it a success for all of the visiting teams and over the past few weeks in helping us prepare,” said Kiley, who is also an articles editor on the Maryland Law Review. “This activity has been my favorite part of law school, teaching me how to adapt on the fly, utilize the rules of evidence, and be myself in a courtroom, making me feel ready to leave Maryland Carey Law and become a litigator.”
This year was Maryland Carey Law’s first time hosting the elite National Trial Competition’s regional tournament, which brought 22 teams from 12 different law schools to Baltimore. The NTC was established in 1975 by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and now attracts teams from more than 140 law schools annually. Co-sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers, the NTC is the oldest law school trial advocacy competition in the nation and one of the most competitive.
“It was a privilege to host this important regional tournament at Maryland Carey Law,” said Salsbury Director of Trial Advocacy Ben Garmoe, who ran the event. “Creating this opportunity for law students reflects Maryland Carey Law’s commitment and dedication to training great trial lawyers.”
Putting on the competition was a big task, and Garmoe is grateful to the students, alums, and administrators who pitched in to make everything run smoothly. Around 150 local jurists and attorneys volunteered their time to serve as judges.
Two teams competed for Maryland Carey Law. Along with Kiley and Wells, the law school was represented by Sydney Branch ’24, Gus Glazov ’24, and Anne Moruzzi ’24. The second team, coached by Hannah Coffin ’20 and Kris Vicencio, won several rounds but narrowly missed making the semifinals.
“I am extremely proud of Becca, Thomas, Anne, Gus, and Sydney,” added Garmoe, “as well as the other trial team members and coaches who worked so hard for weeks to prepare for and host the tournament. It was a full team effort and highlights the dedication to giving back that is a hallmark of Maryland Carey Law’s advocacy program.”