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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University kicked off its 2024 advocacy season with several exciting competitions over the last few weeks, highlighting the strength and talent of its advocacy teams.

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A team of students including 3L Madison Lane, 3L Steven Caputo, 2L Alexa Saccomanno and 2L Carlos Erazo, received a “Golden Ticket” to participate in the prestigious 3-day Summit Cup Mock Trial Competition October 3–5, 2024, hosted by the University of Denver – Sturm College of Law, marking yet another milestone for the Law School’s top ranked program. This invitation-only competition is reserved for law schools that won advocacy competitions the previous year, and extended to only 12 top law schools, making this an elite competition in the world of legal advocacy.

The Summit Cup competition is structured with four rigorous tournament rounds, culminating in a Championship round. One of the elements that makes the Summit Cup particularly unique is its inclusion of laypeople as jurors, which provides a realistic jury panel experience, emulating real-life courtroom dynamics. The competition also employs "advocacy scoring," which helps simulate a juror's impressions of the advocates' performance, adding another layer of realism and challenge. During the competition, each team is provided with an “Assigned Woodshed Witness” from the host school, serving as one of the team's witnesses throughout the event.

Although the team did not advance to the final Championship round, they delivered exceptional performances in every stage of the tournament. The team’s success was bolstered by the support of their dedicated coaches, Chloe Devanny ‘24, Samantha Tighe ‘20, and Nicolette Brusco, Esq ‘21.

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Additionally, a Mock Trial Team including 3Ls Paige Padula and Katerina Balukas participated in the First Chair Competition held from September 13–15, 2024. Hosted by Hofstra Law, UCLA Law, and the University of San Diego School of Law, the competition brings together law schools excelling in teaching trial advocacy. Katerina, who represented the prosecution, won her round against the University of South Carolina, while Paige, representing the defense, won a round against Drexel Law School and tied against Hofstra. Both students had only two weeks to prepare their sides of the case, highlighting their impressive advocacy skills. Their coaches, Kathryn Facelle ’23 and AJ Muller ‘18, praised their performance and dedication to the competition.

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A Haub Law student team also participated in the Buffalo-Niagara Trial Competition, held from October 4–5, 2024. The team, consisting of 3L Julia Stueber and 2Ls Maiya Aubry, Samson Bosco and James Page, delivered strong performances under the guidance of their coach Jack Logan ’20, winning three out of four rounds. The competition is one of the largest in the country, with nearly 30 schools participating each year. Teams are challenged with intricate homicide fact patterns, requiring high-level trial advocacy skills.

“We are incredibly proud of all our teams and their outstanding achievements,” said Director of Haub Law’s Advocacy Programs and Professor of Practice, Louis Fasulo. “This is just the beginning of what promises to be a remarkable season of competition. The 'Golden Ticket' marks a historic moment for us, and we look forward to many more successes throughout the year."