The Trial Team

The National Trial Team is one of the nation’s premier law school trial advocacy organizations and is ranked in the top 40 trial advocacy programs nationwide. The Team was founded in the 1990s by Director Emeritus Jerome Deise. Over the last twenty-five years, the Trial Team has won or placed at numerous advocacy tournaments across the country. In 2020, former Trial Team captain Benjamin Garmoe ‘16 was named the Salsbury Director of Trial Advocacy.

National Trial Team members meet weekly for class sessions led by the Salsbury Director. The Trial Team class covers all aspects of trial advocacy instruction, from basic skills to broad discussions of trial strategy, rhetoric, and persuasion. Team members are assigned each semester to competition and practice teams that meet frequently to prepare materials and practice for tournaments. Members also participate in several weekend practice trials each semester, and every trial is presided over by a member of the judiciary or an experienced trial attorney. These practice trials help prepare members for competition, but they also allow students to experience trying cases in front of sitting judges and experienced practitioners. Trial Team members will graduate with hundreds of hours of live trial experience and will be prepared to begin their careers as trial attorneys from day one.

If you have questions about the Trial Team, you can contact Salsbury Director Ben Garmoe at bengarmoe@law.umaryland.edu. You can reach team captains Thomas Kiley and Becca Wells at trialteam@law.umaryland.edu.

Membership in the National Trial Team is earned by competing in the Salsbury Trial Advocacy Tournament, made possible thanks to a generous gift by Stuart Salsbury, JD ’71, and Suzanne Salsbury, JD '73. The Salsbury Tournament occurs in March and April each year and is open to first-year day students, second year day students, second year evening students, and third year evening students.

Prior to the Tournament, the Trial Team will host several information sessions to provide information about the team and give opportunities to ask questions about the tryout process. Additionally, the Team will host at least one workshop to provide more guidance about tryouts, and the Team will host at least one “meet the team” event where current team members will be available to answer questions.

You can watch a recording of the Closing Argument workshop for the 2022 tryout cycle at this link.

In the first round, each student is provided with a trial packet and presents a closing argument to the members of the team. The closing argument is scored by current members of the team, and approximately half of the students who try out will move on to the semi-final round.

Those students called back for the semi-finalist round will write and deliver a cross examination using the same trial packet. The witness will be portrayed by a current Trial Team member. Once the semi-finalist round is complete, the new Trial Team members are chosen by the Director, the coaches, and the current team.

Within the group of students selected to join the team, the top four competitors by cumulative score will move on to the final round of the Salsbury Tournament and will conduct a full-length trial based on the same trial packet. Past and current members of the National Trial Team will sit as members of the jury and the trial will be presided over by a sitting trial judge.

If you have questions about the tryout process, please reach out to team captains Rebecca Wells and Thomas Kiley at trialteam@law.umaryland.edu.

LEADERSHIP:

Salsbury Director of Trial Advocacy

Benjamin Garmoe ‘16

Trial Team Captains

Thomas Kiley ‘24
Rebecca Wells ‘24

Judges Committee Chairs

Katherine Coyle ‘24
Laura Milleker ‘24

Judges Committee Vice-Chair

Hannah Parr ‘25

Public Relations Committee Co-Chairs

Hannah Elster ‘25
Faith Kim ‘25

COACHES

Head Coaches

Ian Anthony ‘13
Alex Carlson ‘13
Lindsey Rennie ‘19

Assistant Coaches

Loretta Bacon ‘16
Magaly Bittner ‘14
Jhonell Campbell ‘19
Hannah Coffin ‘20
Lindsey Cook ‘12
Pat Dillon ‘17
Dylan Elliott ‘20
Ashley Fellona ‘18
Annie Kenville ‘17
Lindsey McCulley ‘12
Jade McDuffie McClary ‘16
Daniel Moore ‘19
Joshua Ortega
Fiona Puglese ‘20
Eshawn Rawlley ‘14
Ben Salsbury ‘07
Aarti Sidhu ‘18
Maria Stamidis ‘17
Courtney Watkins ‘18

Additional Coaches

Jamar Brown ‘11
Michael Brown ‘15
Opeyemi Glover ‘15
Julia Hall ‘15
Chris Madaio ‘10
Rich Medoff ‘15
Doug Sampson ‘15
Zara Thomas ‘19
Trevonne Walford ‘15

2023: Cole Baker, Sean Cooley, Junior Dufort, Natalie Gibson, Norman Greenwell, Michael Gregory, Lindsay Hemminger, Meredith Johnston, Michelle Lim, Tohan Okojie, Jessica Sweeney, Aja Pollack, Nicholas Spiller

2022: Cole Abell, Vanessa Agbar, Awurama Agyei, Marie Bauer, Tonecia Brothers-Sutton, Eunice Kabuga, Sangeetha Kannan, Leah Levi, Alyssa Radovanovich, Rachel Savage, Victoria Trocchia, Benjamin Weisburg

2021: Summer Akhtar, Kathleen Ayuk, Pavel Glazunov, Stephanie Haddad, Maya Jackson, Kevin Kidwell, Kathryn Meader, Veronica Mina, Daniel Mooney

2020: Susan Ansari, Alexus Brandon, Hannah Coffin, Dylan Rogers Elliott, Alexis Gbemudu, Tamara F. Johnson, Chukwukpee Nzegwu, Fiona Puglese, Kailey M. Silverstein, Shi “Porter” Yang, William Young

2019: Enoch Bevel, Jhonell Campbell, Daniel Moore, Lindsey Rennie, William Rice, Zara Thomas, Timothy VanCisin, Ashly Whidby

2018: Tyler Brown, Haneen Daham, Brian Epstein, Taylor Faulkner, Donovan Hamm, Ashley Fellona, Taylor McAuliffe, Andrew Nagle, Kaitlin Paddy, Aarti Sidhu, Jackie Taylor, Stephanie Trader, Courtney Watkins

2017: Lindsay Defrancesco, Patrick Dillon, Hillary Irvin, Gleda Kuperman, Angela Lam, Annie McGuire, Tom Pacheco, Maria Romas, Ashton Zylstra

2016: Loretta Bacon, Benjamin Garmoe, Diana Griffin, Sean Harding, Daniel Kaprow, Emmit Kellar, Erick Kim, Laura Merkey, Jade McDuffie, James Sheehan, Morgan Thomas

2015: Julia Bates, Michael Brown, Opeyemi Coker, Stephanie Klock, Connie Lee, Richard Medoff, Doug Sampson, Trevonne Walford, Justin Wallace

2014: Magaly Bittner, Laura Dunn, Wandaly Fernandez, Tom Nucum, Martin Nestares, Daniel Phipps, Eshawn Rawlley, Stacy Siegel

2013: Ian Anthony, Robert Alexander Carlson, Sarah David, Letam Duson, Daniel Flanagan, Jasmine Foreman, Glenn Gordon, Wayne Heavener, Marshall Jackson, James Dave O’Donnell, Ashley Sharif, Matthew Wood

2012: Charles Austin, Kara Boyle, Jescie Bohbot, Lindsey Cook, Anwar Graves, Lindsey McCulley, Daniel Mendelson, Funmi Ojetayo, Amanda Radke, Jennifer Ruiz, Derek Simmonsen

2011: Jamar Brown, Benjamin Bruins, Sally McMillan Guy, Mattthew Miller, Keisha Williams, Ngai Zhang

2010: Scott Allen, Greg Arbogast, Dana Backlund, Cathrin Banks, Christine Bowman, Michele N. Bradley, Mark Edelson, John Everett, Chris Madaio, Chris Monti, Ryan Severson, Keith Shebairo, Joseph T. Stovall, II

2009: Matt Brungo, Brandon Draper, Erin Frazee, Lauren Geisser, Sandra Goldberg, Lauren Grossman, Miguel Palmeiro

2008: Melissa Bilchik, Rebecca Caldwell, Ron Marryott, Ben Peoples, Tiffani Sterrette, Marcus Wang, Nolan Weltchek

2007: Jessica Butkera, Jason Downs, Gaines Johnston, Sig Libowitz, Ann Marie Park, Scott Richman, Ben Salsbury, Rachel Simmons, Alicia Wilson

2006: Abigail Bortnick, Julia Carolan, David Chamberlin, Tiffany Harvey, Veronica Jennings, Moyah Kettle, Seth Kleiner, Andres Lopez

2005: Amanda Cofflin, Justin Cuniff, Mary Garner, Brendan Hurson, Chris Lee, Adrianne Lord, Emily Malarkey, Peter Nothstein, Ryan Perlin, Jason Steinhardt

2004: A.J. Bellido de Luna, Tina Hixon, Governor Jackson III, Andrea Kirby, Kristopher Mallahan, Elizabeth Mandy, Alyson Miller, Prathyusha Reddy, Paul Solomon

2003: Christine Bautista, David Booth, Melissa de Beer, Katherine Eller, Amy Eroh, Mary Holohan, Jay Ortis, Joseph Ward

2002: Taraneh Azani, Andrew Brought, Marnell Cooper, Serena Mosley-Day, Todd Reinecker, Kelly Trumpbour

2001: Johan Flynn, Lisa Hesse, Michael Lofts, Christopher Smith, Christopher Steer, Wendy Webb

2000: Amy Cavero, Dawn Lanzalotti, Quang Nguyen, Lisa Voso

1999: Michael Hecht, Cathy Hinger, Peter Johnson, Ramsay Whitworth

The following alumni have made a generous multi-year commitment to support the National Trial Team:

Loretta M. Bacon '16
Magaly D. Bittner '14
Michael B. Brown ’15 and Susan R. Schipper '15
Sarah David '13 and Glenn A. Gordon '13
Jason G. Downs '07
Letam P. Duson '13
Mark Edelson '10
John T. Everett '10
Anwar L. Graves '12
Joe ’93 and Jenny '92 Hovermill
Daniel E. Kaprow '16
Lindsey N. McCulley '12
Daniel Moore '19
Andrew B. Nagel '18
Ben ’07 and Becca Salsbury '08
Timothy VanCisin '19
Justin Wallace '15
Alicia L. Wilson '07

Spring 2023

Our National Trial Competition (NTC) team advanced to Regional Semifinals at the NTC Washington DC Regional. The advancing team was comprised of 2Ls Becca Wells, Sydney Branch, and Anne Moruzzi, and was coached by Lindsey Rennie ‘19 and Dylan Elliott ‘20. In addition to earning team honors, Becca Wells earned the award for Best Overall Advocate at our NTC Regional.

Our American Association for Justice (AAJ) team advanced to Regional Semifinals at the AAJ Northeast Regional. The advancing team was comprised of 3Ls Lindsay Hemminger and Natalie Gibson, and 2L Thomas Kiley. The team was coached by Fiona Puglese ‘20. Our AAJ team went undefeated in the preliminary rounds and advanced to semifinals as the top overall seed.

Our National Trial League team advanced to the National Final Round at Nationals. After going undefeated in the regular season, our NTL team advanced to Nationals and eventually to the final round against St. Mary’s. NTL finished as National Runner-Up and had a 9-2 final record for the season. The team was comprised of 3Ls Norman Greenwell, Cole Baker, Jessica Sweeney, and Natalie Gibson, and 2L Colin Miller. The NTL team was coached by Annie Kenville ‘17, Eshawn Rawlley ‘14, and Salsbury Director Ben Garmoe ‘16.

Our South Texas Challenge team advanced to Octofinals at the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge, one of the nation’s largest and most competitive advocacy tournaments. The team was comprised of 2Ls Aurie Serrette, Alex Makar, and Colin Miller, and was coached by Maria Stamidis ‘17 and Hannah Coffin ‘20.

Fall 2022

Our Hofstra-Medical Legal Competition team won the championship at the 2022 Hofstra Medical-Legal Competition! The Hofstra-Medical Legal Competition is a unique tournament co-hosted by Hofstra University Law School and Medical School, and is the only tournament in the country that simulates live expert testimony by having medical students work with each team and testify as expert witnesses in trial. The team was comprised of 3Ls Lindsay Hemminger and Michelle Lim, and 2Ls Rebecca Wells and Thomas Kiley. The team was coached by Hannah Coffin ‘20. In addition to winning the championship, Michelle Lim earned the award for Best Overall Advocate and Thomas Kiley earned an award as an Outstanding Advocate.

Our National Trial League team went undefeated in seven weeks of regular season competition and advanced to Nationals as the top overall seed. The National Trial League is a unique competition hosted by Syracuse University College of Law. Each of the twelve teams in the league competes every two weeks on Zoom against another league team, and the fact pattern changes for every round of competition. Our NTL team went 7-0 in the regular season and advanced to Nationals in January of 2023 as the only undefeated team. The team was comprised of 3Ls Norman Greenwell, Cole Baker, Jessica Sweeney, and Natalie Gibson, and 2L Colin Miller. The NTL team was coached by Annie Kenville ‘17, Eshawn Rawlley ‘14, and Salsbury Director Ben Garmoe ‘16. In addition to advancing to Nationals, 3L Norman Greenwell was named Most Valuable Advocate for the regular season.

Our Quinnipiac/ABA Criminal Justice Competition team advanced to Quarterfinals as the top overall seed. The team was comprised of 3Ls Tohan Okojie and Sean Cooley and 2Ls Gus Glazov and Sydney Branch, and was coached by Fiona Puglese ‘20, Alex Carlson ‘13, and Lindsey Rennie ‘19. In addition to team honors, 2L Gus Glazov was named Best Advocate, and 3L Tohan Okojie earned the award for Best Direct Examination.

Spring 2022

Our American Association for Justice (AAJ) team went undefeated to win their regional and advance to Nationals. The team was comprised of 3Ls Eunice Kabuga and Tonecia Brothers-Sutton and 2Ls Meredith Johnston and Lindsay Hemminger, and was coached by Alex Carlson ’13, Courtney Watkins ’18, and Eshawn Rawlley ’14. AAJ is a nationwide competition with several regionals across the country where teams compete to earn a bid to Nationals.

Our American University Capital City Challenge team advanced to octofinals. The team was comprised of 3Ls Alyssa Radovanovich and Awurama Agyei and 2Ls Michelle Lim and Cole Baker, and was coached by Hannah Coffin ‘20, Jhonell Campbell ‘19, and Magaly Bittner ‘14. The Capital City Challenge is an invitation-only tournament hosted by American University and featuring many excellent trial advocacy programs from across the country.

Fall 2021

Our Quinnipiac/ABA Criminal Justice Competition team went undefeated and emerged as champions of the 2021 Quinnipiac tournament! The team was comprised of 4E Vanessa Agbar and 2Ls Meredith Johnston, Lindsay Hemminger, and Nicholas Spiller, and was coached by Alex Carlson ’13, Maria Stamidis ’17, and Jhonell Campbell ’19. Quinnipiac is an invitation-only tournament hosted by Quinnipiac Law School and co-sponsored by the American Bar Association, and some of the nation’s best trial advocacy programs compete at this tournament each year.