Media, Law & Policy

Two SU teams place in American Mock Trial Association regional tournament, earn bids to national championship

Wednesday, February 17, 2010, By News Staff

Two teams from Syracuse University’s award-winning undergraduate Mock Trial Program placed fourth and seventh out of 24 teams that competed in the 2010 Finger Lakes Regional American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Tournament hosted by SU Feb. 13 and 14. The SU teams won bids to the opening round of the national AMTA championship, which will be held in White Plains, N.Y., March 13 and 14.

This is only the second time in the 11-year history of SU’s Mock Trial Program that two teams will be competing at this level. Two teams also competed in the 2009 national championships.

In addition to the team awards, four students earned outstanding attorney awards. They are: Kenneth Alter, sophomore; Matthew Cujak, senior; and Andrew Rice, junior, all enrolled in The College of Arts and Sciences; and Amanda St. Hilaire, a sophomore in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Participating institutions included Binghamton, St. Bonaventure, Colgate, Cornell, New York and Penn State universities; Buffalo State, Canisius, Hamilton and Siena colleges; the SUNY Colleges at Fredonia and Geneseo; the University of Rochester; and the University at Buffalo.

The SU Mock Trial Program is sponsored by the iLearn Program in The College of Arts and Sciences. Team members are selected and coached during the fall semester by SU alumni trial attorneys and compete in the spring round of AMTA-sponsored tournaments. The 2009-10 coaches are Robert G. Smith ’88 J.D. of Melvin & Melvin, PLLC; Iman Abraham ’06 J.D. of Meggesto, Crossett & Valerino, LLP; Clifton Carden, Onondaga County assistant district attorney; and Brian Mueller ’09, assistant coach.

Further information about the team is available at http://ilearn.syr.edu. The iLearn Program supports the Undergraduate Research Program and the Ruth Meyer Scholars program.

Other students who will be competing in the AMTA nationals include:

  • College of Arts and Sciences: Jeremy Edwards, freshman; Zachary Lax, junior; He Lin Lee, sophomore; Meghan McCormack, senior; Kelyn Smith, freshman; Ashley White, sophomore; Tarek Zatet, senior; and Kelly (Nachong) Kim, a junior dually enrolled in The College of Arts and Sciences and the Newhouse School.
  • Newhouse School: Jamie Greenwood, junior; and Danielle Waugh, junior.
  • College of Visual and Performing Arts: Daniel Bateman, junior.
  • Whitman School of Management: Regina (Youg Yeon) Ryou, senior.