Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law will host regional rounds of the National Trial Competition this weekend, Feb. 18-20.
Twenty-six teams of law students from Alabama, Florida and Mississippi will compete in the event at the Jefferson County Civil Courthouse in Birmingham. During the course of the weekend, 45 trials-- involving the same criminal case--will be heard.
More than 200 attorneys and members of the judiciary will serve as judges. About 180 Cumberland students and other volunteers will act as witnesses for the trials.
The top two winning teams from the event will join finalists from the other 14 regional competitions at the National Trial Competition April 6-10 in Houston, Texas.
The national trial competition program is designed to expose law students to the nature of trial practice and to serve as a supplement to their education.
Co-sponsors of this weekend’s regional event are Cumberland’s Trial Advocacy Board and the American College of Trial Lawyers.