The 2025 National Trial Competition for Region 12 was hosted by Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska.
This past weekend, the UND School of Law Trial Team competed at the National Trial Competition for Region 12. The National Trial Competition is co-sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers. It was established in 1975 to encourage and strengthen students’ advocacy skills. This year’s competition included 20 teams from around the region. The team was coached by Professor Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich, Erica Hovey, and Alexis Madlom.
The UND School of Law team of Lily Burnside (2L), Bryan Green (2L), and Madison Schoenberg (2L) went undefeated in the four preliminary rounds (only one of two teams with such a remarkable record) and advanced to the semifinal round of the competition. The student advocates were exceptional throughout each round, facing and eliminating teams from top-tiered law schools and schools with long-established and nationally-recognized trial advocacy programs. They were consistently praised by the judges for their preparation, poise, and professionalism in presenting the case. In the semifinal round, the team faced the University of Iowa and the three-hour trial that followed was nothing short of a master demonstration of trial advocacy skills by both teams. The final result was a split ballot—2:1 in judges’ votes and a narrow point differential. One thing was unanimous, however—the team’s performance at that semifinal round was outstanding, as both the judges, opposing team members, and other coaches noted. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team for the hard work we’ve put in over the past few months,” said Schoenberg of the experience. “Trial team has not only strengthened my trial advocacy skills but also boosted my confidence, and I look forward to next season.”
UND School of Law’s other team, consisting of Seth Desrocher (3L), Daniella Tavares (2L), and Leon Walter (3L) did an excellent job at the preliminary rounds as well, narrowly missing advancing to the next stage. The team faced some tough competition in those rounds but tried each casewith zeal and conviction. The team members were praised for their command of the case, their excellent control of the courtroom, and their mastery of the rules of evidence. “This success is a testament to the dedication and talent of my teammates, as well as the outstanding leadership of our coaches, who believed in us, challenged us, and built teams capable of competing at the highest level,” said Walter.
The success of our Trial Team is largely reflective of the support our alumni offer the program each year. We are honored and humbled by their generosity in sharing their time, experience, and expertise with our students. This year, the team would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to the following individuals for being our mentors, critics, and cheerleaders along the way: Hannah Brink Wegner, Kylee Carlin, Lori Conroy, Joseph Hackman, Tatiana Hackman, Zac Ista, Roman Knudsvig, Cassandra Molivigny, Ericka Muller, Judge Rosenfeldt, Erica Solberg, Anne-Marie Studer, and Aubrey Zuger. We could not have done it without you! And a special thank you to Judge Rosenfeldt and the Clay County Courthouse staff for allowing us to use their facilities for our weekend practices—we appreciated the opportunity!
