Published on March 30, 2022 by Morgan Black
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Members of Cumberland School of Law's 2021-2022 National Trial Team
Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law has once again maintained its top 10 ranking for trial advocacy by U.S. News & World Report. As part of the 2023 Best Law Schools rankings released March 29, 2022, Cumberland School of Law ranked 10th in the nation in the Trial Advocacy Programs category out of 187 law schools listed.
Cumberland’s advocacy program prepares students to zealously advocate for real clients in real courtrooms. “Our program helps students develop their distinct and diverse voice to represent their clients with excellence and professionalism and to serve their communities,” said Ramona Albin, associate professor of law and director of advocacy programs. “Our program is life-changing for our students and allows them to become life-changing advocates. Being ranked in the top 10 in the nation is further recognition of the strength and effectiveness of our program.”
Coming off a year when students had to adapt to competition in virtual environments, members of Cumberland’s trial advocacy program and national trial teams continue to excel.
In February, two competition groups of Cumberland’s National Trial Team swept Region 8 of the National Trial Competition (NTC), one of the most prestigious law school trial competitions in the country. Both Cumberland teams won their final rounds and advanced to the national tournament which will be in Fort Worth, Texas, March 30-April 3. This marks the third straight year that Cumberland has swept Region 8 of the NTC, the 12th time in the past 15 years that a Cumberland team has won the Regional Championship of NTC, and the 6th time Cumberland has swept the regionals since 2011. In total, 18 Cumberland teams have advanced to the NTC nationals in the last 15 years.
Additionally, the National Trial Team competed in the Regional American Association for Justice (AAJ) competition where two groups advanced to the finals and one team advanced to nationals.
"The consistent ranking of Cumberland’s advocacy program among the top 10 in the country is a tribute to the talent and hard work of our advocacy faculty and students and to the high regard in which advocacy faculty across the country hold Cumberland’s program," said Cumberland School of Law Dean Corky Strickland.
Cumberland’s National Trial Team also ranks 4th in the nation in the Trial Competition Performance Rankings from 2016 to present.
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.
