Year after year, Cumberland School of Law travels to regional and national legal skills competitions and continues to perform at the highest level. Cumberland School of Law is among the most decorated law schools in the nation at these competitions. Many competitions have a regional component where schools from one region compete and then the regional winner or winners advance to the national rounds. Over the years, there have been several instances where the top two teams in the region were both Cumberland School of Law teams; the law school’s two teams have gone head-to-head to determine the regional champion. 

Below are some recent competition highlights since 2009, as well as a running list of top wins.

2023

Spring 2023

National Trial Competition, Regional Semifinalists
Hall of Fame Sports and Entertainment Law Negotiation Competition, Semifinalist
American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Regional Sweep
American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, 2nd and 5th Place
Trials and Tribulations Competition, Quarterfinals and two Outstanding Advocate Awards
31st Annual Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, Sweet 16 and Best Advocate Award
South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, Final Four and Outstanding Advocate Award

2022

Fall 2022

Flash Trial Competition, 5th Place and Professionalism Award
Battle of the Experts, 3rd Place
Syracuse National Trial Competition, Semifinalist and Best Advocate Award
E-Sports National Negotiation Competition, Quarterfinalist and Semifinalist
American Bar Association Arbitration Regional, Two Semifinalist Teams

Spring 2022

National Trial Competition Regional Co-Champions (3rd consecutive regional sweep)
American Association of Justice Regional Champion & Regional Finalist
American Association of Justice National Quarterfinalist
The Verdict Trial Competition 3rd Place
South Texas Mock Trial Challenge Sweet 16 & Outstanding Advocate Award winner

ABA Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Regional Competition Champion
ABA Moot Court Appellate Advocacy National Competition Quarterfinalist

Transatlantic Negotiation Competition U.S. Runner-Up

Other News (Summer 2022)

Teaching Advocacy Conference Co-Host

2021

Fall 2021

Syracuse National Trial Competition Semifinalist & Best Opening Statement winner
Battle of the Experts Trial Competition 5th Place & Outstanding Advocate Award winner

2020

Spring 2020

National Trial Competition Regional, Co-champions
ABA National Arbitration Competition, 2nd Place
32nd Annual Domenick L. Gabrielli National Family Law Moot Court Competition, Quarterfinalist

2019

Spring 2019

National Trial Competition Regional, Finalist
CKP Cup Moot Court Competition, Finalist
Capital City Challenge, Finalist and Best Advocate
National Trial Advocacy Tournament, Semi-finalist and Best Cross Examination
AAJ Regional Competition, Semi-finalist
ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Semi-finalist and Best Oralist
Domenick L. Gabrielli National Family Law Moot Court Competition, Top 16

Summer 2019

Top Gun National Trial Competition, Finalist

Fall 2019

ABA Regional Arbitration Competition, Champion
Syracuse National Trial Competition, 2nd Place
Lone Star Classic, Semi-finalist
Battle of the Experts Trial Competition, Semi-finalist

2018

Spring 2018

National Trial Advocacy Competition, Champion
Florida National Trial Advocacy Competition, Champion
American Bar Association Regional Mediation Competition, Champion 
Swept Regionals of the National Trial Competition
American Bar Association National Mediation Competition, Third Place 
CKP Cup Moot Court Competition, Finalist
Regional ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Best Oralist

Summer 2018

Baylor Top Gun Competition, Sixth Place and Winner of Best Technology Award

Fall 2018

Battle of the Experts Trial Competition, Winner and Best Advocate 
National Civil Trial Competition, Fifth Place, Best Cross-Examination, Winner of Professionalism Award
Lone Star National Trial Competition, Top Eight
National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Top Eight Ranked Second Nationally in the Trial Competition Performance Rankings

2017

Fall 2017

National Civil Trial Competition, Champion

2016

April 2016

Houston, TX, April 13-17

Final Eight, Quarter-Final Round, South Texas College of Law's Fifth Annual Mock Trial Challenge

March/April 2016

Dallas, TX, March 30-April 3

Elite Eight, National Finals, National Trial Competition, co-sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the Texas Young Lawyers Association

Feb. 2016

Memphis, TN, Feb. 26

Third place and fifth place, 2016 Regional Mediation Competition hosted by Memphis School of Law

Orlando, FL, Feb. 5-7

First place, Southeast Regional, National Trial Competition, hosted by Stetson University College of Law

San Diego, CA, Feb. 5-6

Sixth place (semifinal round), ABA Law Student Division Negotiation Competition final round

2015

Nov. 2015

Birmingham, Alabama, Nov. 14-15

Second and third place, ABA Regional Negotiation Competition, hosted by Cumberland School of Law

Oct. 2015

St. Louis, Missouri, Oct. 29-31

Fourth place (semifinals), Tournament of Champions, hosted by Washington University Law

Mar. 2015

Houston, Texas, Mar. 11-15

Final four, National Trial Competition national finals, Houston, Texas

Feb. 2015

Miami, Florida, Feb. 21

Final four, Cristol Kahn Paskay Cup for moot court, University of Miami School of Law 

Orlando, Florida, Feb. 7-8

1st Place, National Trial Competition, Southeast Regional

2014

October 2014

Detroit, Michigan, Oct. 8-11

First place at the 15th Annual National Trial Advocacy Competition hosted by Michigan State University

Gainesville, Florida, Oct. 2-5

Semifinal round placement at the Florida National Trial Advocacy Tournament.

April 2014

Santa Monica, California, April 10–13

Top eight of 220 teams in the nation competing in the 2014 American Association for Justice Competition.

March 2014

Houston, Texas, March 27–30

Second place at the South Texas College of Law Mock Trial Challenge; and Top Advocate in the Preliminary Rounds Award and Best Advocate in the Final Round Award.

Atlanta, Georgia, March 20–23

Two team sweep (first place and second place) in the regional component of the American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition.

February 2014

Chicago, Illinois

The weekend of Feb. 8, Cumberland School of Law’s negotiation team advanced to the semifinal rounds of the American Bar Association’s National Negotiation Competition.

2013

November 2013

Los Angeles, California

The weekend of Nov. 8-10, a team from Cumberland School of Law won the National Civil Trial Competition.

Louisville, Kentucky

On the weekend of Nov. 9, Cumberland School of Law’s negotiation team placed second at the ABA regional negotiation competition.

April 2013

San Antonio, Texas

From April 4–6, two Cumberland School of Law trial teams placed in the top eight of 320 teams that competed at the national trial competition. 

March 2013

Houston, Texas

On March 20–24, Cumberland School of Law’s trial team placed in the top eight at the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge.

Waco, Texas

During the week of March 17, Cumberland School of Law’s national client counseling team placed third at the American Bar Association’s National Client Counseling Competition held at Baylor Law School.

February 2013

White Plains, New York

During the weekend of Feb. 23, a team from Cumberland School of Law competed in the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Pace Law School. A Cumberland School of Law student was awarded an overall honorable mention as best oralist in the competition.

Las Vegas, Nevada

On the weekend of Feb. 16, Cumberland School of Law took top honors at the Las Vegas regional round of the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition in a clean sweep of all five rounds.

Gainesville, Florida

On the weekend of Feb. 16, two trial teams from Cumberland School of Law swept Region Six of the National Trial Competition.

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 

On Feb. 9, Cumberland School of Law took top honors at the American Bar Association’s Region Five Client Counseling Competition. The ABA’s Region Five includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and Tennessee. The competition was held at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center.

Nashville, Tennessee.

Cumberland School of Law places fourth at the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition in Nashville.

2012

November 2012

Los Angeles, California

On the weekend of Nov. 17, the eleventh annual national civil trial competition was held and Cumberland School of Law’s team finished third overall, winning the Professionalism and Ethical Lawyering Award.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Cumberland School of Law’s national moot court team traveled to Baton Rouge the week of Nov. 3 to compete in the New York City Bar Association’s regional competition. This year the competition was hosted by Louisiana State University. The team defeated Vanderbilt University to advance to the quarterfinal where the team was eliminated by last year’s returning champion.

October 2012

Virginia Beach, Virginia

On Oct. 26, Cumberland School of Law’s moot court team competed at the Leroy R. Hassell, Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition hosted by Regent University. The team was aided in the early rounds by its high brief score. On Friday, the team argued in three rounds and won all of them. On Saturday, the team, which was ranked in the top eight of all teams competing, advanced to the quarter-final round .

Chicago, Illinois

A mock trial team from Cumberland School of Law came in fifth place at the annual Tournament of Champions, which was hosted by Chicago-Kent College of Law Oct. 24–28.

East Lansing, Michigan

Cumberland School of Law sent a trial team to the Michigan State 13th Annual National Trial Advocacy Competition. The team was voted by its peers to receive the Professional Ethics Award for its professionalism.

San Antonio, Texas

The 2012 Lone Star Classic was held the weekend of Oct. 13 at Mary’s School of Law and was open to all American Bar Associated–accredited law schools. The competition committee selected 16 teams. The problem was a criminal case and utilized the Federal Rules of Evidence and Procedure. Cumberland’s team advanced to the semi-final round. Keith Knowlton won the award for best cross examination.

April 2012

Houston, Texas

A Cumberland trial team claimed third place at the inaugural South Texas Mock Trial Challenge. Team members Todd Buchanan (3L), Setara Foster (3L), Keith Knowlton (2L) and George Shifflett (3L) battled 40 teams from across the nation over the four-day competition.

March 2012

Las Vegas, Nevada

A trial team from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law took top national honors at the 2012 American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition. The four-member Cumberland team defeated a team from the University of Maryland law school to win the title March 25. For an American Association for Justice press link, click the link.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Trial teams from Cumberland placed first and second out of 16 teams from the southeast at the regional American Association of Justice Trial Advocacy Competition on March 4, 2012. The first-place team advanced to the national championship March 22–25, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nev.

February 2012

Atlanta, Georgia

Out of the 32 teams that competed at the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition on Feb. 23–26, one of two Cumberland teams went undefeated and was the number one seed heading into the final round. After arguing five rounds, the team won the award for the best brief. Read More

Orlando, Florida

Two second-year law students place first at the national trial competition regional championship.

2011

October 2011

New York City

Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law took top honors at the prestigious Tournament of Champions competition held at St. John's University School of Law in New York City on Oct. 27-30.
Cumberland students Maurine Evans, Setara Foster, Cory Ricci and George Shifflett defeated a team from Northwestern University law school in the final round to win what is considered the nation’s premier law school trial competition.

September 2011

East Lansing, Michigan

Drew Haskins, Patrick Hinchey, Sam Nicolle, and Brittany Stancombe won the 2011 National Trial Advocacy Competition at Michigan State University College of Law. They beat teams from Maryland, Houston and Florida. Brittany Stancombe won the award for best cross examination.

June 2011

Waco, Texas

Shannon Cornman O’Guin, a 2011 Cumberland School of Law graduate, placed second behind a competitor from Yale Law School at the Top Gun National Mock Trial contest.

April 2011

Houston, Texas

Congratulations to Carrie Hodge, Ross Massey and alternate team member Samantha Nicolle for placing sixth in the nation out of 300 teams competing at the national trial competition. The team was coached by Judge James H. Roberts, Jr., ’94 and Sara Williams, ’06.

March 2011

Montgomery, Alabama

On the weekend of March 5, 2011, Cumberland’s mock trial teams placed first and second at the American Association for Justice Regional Student Trial Advocacy Competition. The first place team will compete at the national tournament in Las Vegas on March 31, 2011.

February 2011

Birmingham, Alabama

Cumberland School of Law teams placed first and second at the regional round of the national trial competition against 26 other law school teams.

Boca Raton, Florida

Cumberland School of Law took first place at the annual American Bar Association (ABA) student tax challenge. The team consisted of second-year students Wes Hill and Sims Rhyne. At the competition, 95 teams represented law schools from across the country. This national competition is sponsored by the ABA section of taxation. The final rounds were held at the ABA’s 2011 midyear meeting in Boca Raton. “We are known for winning advocacy competitions and winning a tax competition shows the quality of our students and the depth of our program,” said Cumberland Dean John L. Carroll.

2010

November 2010

Tampa Bay, Florida

Negotiation team competed at the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition held at Stetson University School of Law. The team of Katie Fogo and Elizabeth Mathis won their preliminary rounds to make the finals, and they finished in third place overall in the competition. The competition included 24 teams from 13 law schools.

Memphis, Tennessee

Cumberland School of Law finished third at New York City Bar Regional Moot Court Tournament. Cumberland’s national moot court team competed in Memphis, Tenn., Nov. 12–13. The team competed in two preliminary rounds on Friday and advanced to the quarterfinals. The team reached the semi-finals of the tournament, and were ½ a point away from the final round.

Los Angeles, California

National Civil Trial Competition
Charles Buchanan, Alyson Hood, Ross Massey and Megan Murren represented Cumberland School of Law at the National Civil Trial Competition (NCTC) the weekend of Nov. 13. The team finished tied for fourth place, but lost the tie breaker on points. The cut was from 16 to four after three preliminary rounds. The team won the NCTC Ethical Lawyering and Professionalism Award and got a standing ovation when it was announced. The tournament coaches voted on the winner of the ethics and professionalism award winner.

October 2010

Queens, New York

National Civil Rights Trial Competition 
Cumberland School of Law’s trial teams competed in the eighth annual Peter James Johnson National Civil Rights Trial Competition hosted by St. John’s University School of Law. The team members were Charles Elliott, Maurine Evans, Amanda Kistler, Samantha Nicolle, Brandon Prince and Reanna Todd. Cumberland’s team left the competition ranked in the top four of 16 teams from across the country. Other schools competing were DePaul, Northwestern, Brooklyn School of Law, St. John’s, LSU, Pace, University Texas, American University, Fordham, Golden Gate, Miami, Ole Miss, Pacific McGeorge, Temple, South Texas and Mississippi College.

Lansing, Michigan

National Trial Advocacy Competition
Cumberland School of Law’s trial team competed in the 11th annual national trial advocacy competition at Michigan State Law School. The team finished eighth out of 26 teams, winning the professional ethics award, which was voted on by all of the other teams. The team members are SeTara Foster, Bethany Harrison, Drew Haskins and Brittany Stancombe. The team was coached by Sara Williams, J.D. ’06, and an attorney with Carr Allison.

Birmingham, Alabama

National Arbitration Team
Ruby Brown and Sherri Peace-Gordon and runners-up Aaron Gallardo and Patrick Evans won the national arbitration team competition. New members of the national arbitration team are: Elizabeth Lyerly, Aaron Gallardo, Whitney Haley, Graham Jackson and Ruby Brown. Returning members are Christine Baylet, Jon Mann and Kris Gray.

March 2010

Dallas, Texas

Cumberland School of Law’s national trial team won the American Association for Justice regional trial competition. 

February 2010

Jackson, Mississippi

Cumberland School of Law won first place in the national trial competition, region six.

2009

April 2009

West Palm Beach, Florida

The law school’s trial team placed second in the American Association for Justice national student trial advocacy competition out of 224 teams.

Chicago, Illinois

The national appellate advocacy team represented the law school at the American Bar Association’s national round placing only two wins away from the championship with a quarterfinal finish.

March 2009

New York, New York

Cumberland School of Law’s bankruptcy moot court team placed as finalist at the 17th annual Judge Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition at St. John’s University.

February 2009

Decatur, Georgia

The trial teams won regional round at the American Association for Justice.

Tallahassee, Florida

Cumberland School of Law team won national trial competition regional round.

National Advocacy Team Results

National Trial Competition

Regional First Place: 2015, 2013 (and second place), 2012, 2011 (and second place), 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1998 (two Cumberland School of Law teams), 1996, 1994, 1992, 1991, 1989, 1987, 1985, 1984, 1982
National Quarterfinalist: 1992
National Finalist: 1991, 1989, 1985
National Champions: 2011, 1984, 1981

Tournament of Champions Competition

First Place: 2011

Quinnipiac Criminal Justice Competition

Winner: 2007

National Top Gun Mock Trial Competition

Second Place: 2011

MSU National Trial Advocacy Competition

Winner: 2011

Lone Star Classic Competition

Winner: 2007

ABA Arbitration Competition

Regional Finalist: 2007, 2006, 2005
Regional Second Place: 2006

ABA Client Counseling Competition

Regional First Place: 2008, 2002
National Fourth Place: 1998

ABA Negotiation Competition

Regional Second Place: 2004, 1996
National Third Place: 1998
Regional First Place: 1993

ABA Student Tax Challenge

National First Place: 2011

AAJ/ATLA National Trial Competition

Regional Winners: 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1995, 1993, 1987, 1984, 1983, 1982
National Quarterfinalist: 2005, 2004, 1997
National Finalist: 1983
National Champions: 2012, 2008, 2000, 1987, 1984

Representation in Mediation Competition

National Champions: 2005
National Finalist: 2001
Regional First Place: 2005, 2002, 2001

National Appellate Advocacy Team Results

National Appellate Advocacy Competition

Regional Winner: 1993
Best Advocate: 1993

ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition

Regional Best Advocate: 2000
Best Brief: 2012, 1996, 1994
Regional Winner: 2008

Duke University Rabbi Seymour Siegel Competition

First Place: 1991
Best Oralist: 1993
Second Place: 1997, 1994

Starr Insurance Appellate Advocacy Competition

Quarterfinalist: 1995, 1994

Sutherland Cup Competition

Best Brief, Best Advocate, Second Place: 1998