Members of the American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) Mock Trial Honor Society competed over spring break in the American Association for Justice's Student Trial Advocacy Competition, one of the most prestigious mock trial competitions in the country.

The competition opened with 18 teams from law schools across the nation. Eight advanced to the semifinals: AUWCL, Georgetown, Regent, Stetson, Catholic, Florida International, Liberty, and William & Mary. Representing AUWCL were Mark Rodriguez (3L), Sean Buss (2L), Brianna Parkinson (2L), and Nick Mruk (2L). The team demonstrated strong command of trial advocacy and a keen grasp of the rules of evidence throughout the competition. In the semifinal round, they were matched against Georgetown, ultimately finishing the competition as semifinalists.

The team credited their performance to extensive preparation and the support of a dedicated coaching and faculty network. Special thanks were extended to the entire Mock Trial Honor Society, Advocacy Program Fellow and Adjunct Professor Ken Troccoli, and Adjunct Professor Cristina Hillyer. The team was coached by Advocacy Program Associate Director Stephanie L. Johnson, Adjunct Professor David Knight, and Amanda Bailey (AUWCL '25).