Published on February 24, 2025 by Morgan Black
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In February, Samford University Cumberland School of Law’s National Trial Team won Region 8 of the National Trial Competition (NTC), the oldest and one of the most prestigious law school trial competitions in the country. With the win, the Cumberland team will advance to nationals in Houston, Texas, in April. This win secured the 13th win in the last 17 years for Cumberland. In total, 20 Cumberland teams have advanced to nationals in the last 16 years.
Cumberland’s team of third-year students Grayson Walden and John West won all five of their trials and all but two ballots (87%) of every lawyer and judge who scored them. The team of third-year student Lily Dickinson and second-year student Abigail Frazier narrowly missed the semifinals, losing out on the third tie-breaker, point-differential.
The teams were coached by Judge Jim Roberts, JD ’94, director of National Trial Teams; Craig Shirley, JD ’19; and Trent Testa, JD ’21.
Roberts, who has been coaching Cumberland School of Law trial teams for 27 years said, “I am so proud of these extremely talented and gifted students for their dedication, willingness to learn and extraordinary work ethic. I am most proud of the manner in which they conducted themselves with professionalism and civility, especially in the face of adversity.”
The NTC provides real-world application and exposes law students to the nature of trial practice in preparation for careers and to serve their communities.
Roberts added, “These students worked countless hours at nights and on weekends while juggling their schoolwork, jobs and family responsibilities so that they could learn the art and skill of trial advocacy and better serve their clients and their community in the future. We are blessed at Cumberland to have the support of our administration and faculty and amazing coaches who volunteer their time to give back to our program. For that, I am indeed thankful.”
Matt Woodham, JD ’15, associate director of advocacy programs, said, “Our success in this competition speaks volumes about the talent and professionalism of Cumberland’s advocacy students and the incredible people who train them. I have no doubt that these students could walk into any courtroom and stand shoulder to shoulder with seasoned trial attorneys. Congratulations, and special thanks to our coaches Craig Shirley, Trent Testa and Judge Jim Roberts, who will be leading his 24th team from Cumberland to the national tournament in 27 years.”
Cumberland School of Law’s advocacy programs are nationally recognized for excellence: 6th for Trial Advocacy by U.S. News & World Report (2024), 3rd in the Gavel Rankings for fall 2024, 4th in the Trial Competition Performance Rankings for 2023-24 (3rd overall since 2016), and 8th in the top ABA law school competition teams in arbitration, negotiation, client counseling, mediation and appellate advocacy (2024).
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 with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.
